W5 CYOA - Zhongli, Akihiko, Laurence, Ali Zoph

[holyspirits]

aaaaaaaaaaaa

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[holyspirits]

[ The worker nods! That sounds right to her! Akihiko is just so........ charismatic....... She gestures for you to take the door on the right, which you can see opens to a beautiful promenade with a wide staircase heading up.

You are all very lucky they do not charge for admission, because you did not come up with a plan or strategy for the fact that you aren't registered guests and have little to no money. On a cruise. Where you are trying to pretend to be guests.

But luckily this is all being run by high school girls. They figure the more people they get in the door, the more money they can make on the amenities they offer onboard. ]

Will do. There are maps all over inside so you shouldn't have any trouble gettin' around. This'll lead you straight to the promenade with all our restaurants and entertainment. Staterooms are below that - check in with the front desk if you change your mind about stayin' the night. Casino's on the lowest guest deck, towards the aft—sorry, the back. And up on the top decks you've got the pools and more restaurants. There's an outdoor theater to the front up there, too. There's somethin' fun to do wherever you go.

[ziosar]

Thanks.

[Okay, let's take a look...Akihiko takes a map, looks at it intently, and then glances up at his fellow teammates once they're far away enough to not be heard]

If you guys were a delinquent where would you be? I don't see any back-alleys in this map.

[Because it's well known that's where the unsavory teenagers gather: the back alleys behind the stations]

[dijun]

[ zhongli will thank the worker very politely for the explanation and guidance, and be grateful that they're not being charged an entrance fee. because he doesn't have his cashcow here in heaven, let alone on this cruise ship, so what money would they give???

once they're far enough away, his mild smile fades as he looks at the map. ]

The busiest place, I would imagine, as there are more people for The Idol to blend in with. Hidden in plain sight, especially when you consider that this individual is being shielded by the operators of the casino.

If we would like to find a restroom or some such to change into our other clothes at some point, it may do us some good as far as disguises go. Otherwise...

[smokeandglasses]

[Luckily Ali is a modern who has also been inside a casino before, so he can offer some advice.]

Slot machines have awful payouts, anyone looking to play the odds will be at the tables. We should look there first. But be warned: if they're at a table, it's going to be harder to spirit them away unnoticed.

[Doing some math in his head real quick on probabilities.]

Blackjack has the best odds of winning, but Craps and poker are flashier games that they might be drawn to instead. Those three areas would be best to check first.

[outdistanced]

[ looks around in absolute confusion. what are all these words. ]

Does that mean we should try splitting up, or something? Cover more ground? If there are so many places, they could just move around and avoid us.

[holyspirits]

[ You all head up the stairs while you discuss, passing through some kind of wide open atrium, then find yourselves on the Promenade Deck. On either side of you are rows and rows of gift shops and restaurants with both indoor and outdoor seating. There's a wiiiiiide walkway because this ship is very spacious, with plenty of room even though the middle is taken up by more seating and decorative plants.

Looking at a map gives you a basic understanding of the ship's layout!

Top Deck: Pools, hot tubs, shops, carousel, theater.
Promanade Deck: Restaurants, entertainment, arcade, net cafe, library
Atrium: Front desk
Middle Decks: Staterooms
Bottom Deck: Casino, restaurants, entertainment.
Below Deck: Crew quarters, security, hospital, and information center.

Also: it's pretty crowded already! Immediately you can see a lot of people bustling back and forth. It's 90% high school girls but there are also some bipedal animals and robots. They're shopping and having a good time.

You also see a lot of staff workers! They're all wearing bunny girl outfits. ]

[ziosar]

This ship is big. We'll have to split up to cover more ground or it'll take us way too long.

[Still, one can't just walk around, can you? Hmmmmm]

We need to agree where to reunite later.

[dijun]

The... atrium, perhaps? Or somewhere on the top deck.

[ for them to meet up.

but zhongli... looks a little reluctant about the idea of splitting the party, at least fully. because he does still recall, in the memory soup, how absolutely obliterated people have been when they come back from their trips. he looks at the three of them, wanting to keep them as safe as possible for as long as they are together.

still, he can't argue that they do need to cover more ground. ]

How, exactly, do you propose we split up? Pairs, or all of us on our own? I will admit that I'm wary for any of us to go places alone - we've seen the returns.

[smokeandglasses]

...

[A long pause as he considers something. It's a difficult choice.]

...we should stay together and protect Laurence.

[He's the only one still alive, and thus would be impacted the most by injuries.]

Besides if we're together we can watch each other's backs more. We can scope out this floor and then move to the next one.

[outdistanced]

Hey, why me?!

[ don't you dare baby him he's not even the youngest here! he is so! tired! of being singled out! ]

Aren't we on a time limit, anyway? The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can leave.

[holyspirits]

[ Yeah why him!!!

You still haven't chosen anywhere to go so you're standing in a group and other guests are just skirting around you awkwardly. ]

[ziosar]

Because if you return with heavy blood loss people are going to be upset.

[Hmmmmm]

Let's go in pairs.

[dijun]

I will remind the both of you that should you also return with heavy blood loss, people will be upset.

[ it's not just laurence! but yeah he's still living, he kind of needs to be put in bubblewrap. but zhongli knows the kind of person that he is, especially when he's already been stressed out and riled up enough today, and decides to not provoke it. ]

Let us all endeavor to stay as uninjured as possible, perhaps. Pairs seems the better option, if we split up, so I will leave it up to you all to decide - I am glad to go with anyone.

[smokeandglasses]

[Sees everyone looking at them awkwardly. Okay. They need to get moving.]

Alright, fine. I'll check the upper decks. Who wants to go with me?

[outdistanced]

[ nooooo not more people looking at him skitters out of the way ]

It's this casino thing, right? Downstairs.

TOP DECK

[holyspirits]

[ Those of you headed up ride an elevator up to the top deck. Even though the ship is huge enough that the promenade deck didn't feel super cramped, it's definitely more spacious up here.

There are still a few shops, and a bar, but most of the deck is taken up by multiple massive swimming pools with big colorful slides. There are four hotubs in the back and several people all over, everywhere. It's like this, and you are currently at the back elevators! ]

[smokeandglasses]

[It's really surprising that nobody is stopping them while they carry literal guns.]

Alright, let's sweep this deck and see what we find. Shops?

[The pools and hot tubs are open so they can check as they go.]

[ziosar]

[Looking at the map Akihiko kind of wishes wonders if maybe they should have split one-by-one after all]

It'd be a start. Someone over there might have heard about clients sweeping with huge wins today.

[Depends on how subtle the Idol is, really]

[holyspirits]

[ It's not surprising at all that no one minds your guns! Largely because everyone single one of the high school girls around you is also carrying a gun. (But not the bipedal animals or robots.)

The two of you head past the pools to scope them out as you go. There are a lot of girls splashing around in the pool as you pass, their guns all set aside in storage lockers nearby... but none of them look like the description of The Idol to you.

At the front of the ship is the Solarium Bistro, a big café with a cute gift shop attached. Similarly, not really seeing anyone that could be The Idol, but... The staff are really honed in on trying to get your business. You don't pay for admission so you'd better be shopping around.

Besides, what does anyone really do on a cruise but buy overpriced shit and eat at 500 buffets and cafes? A server steps up to greet you, his gun swung around to his back so it's not in the way when he needs to take orders! ]

Table for two? Or can I get you some drinks to go?

[smokeandglasses]

[He doesn't even get to start to politely refuse, because he knows that voice. All pretense of the mission at hand is immediately forgotten as he stares at the young man in front of him.]

...Chance?

[Logically he knows this isn't the same person. Chance is back at home, alive and well. But still, Ali can't help but stare as tears start to well up at the corners of his eyes.]

BOTTOM DECK

[holyspirits]

[ Those of you heading to the bottom deck for the casino take the elevator down. There's plenty more attractions up ahead including a performance theater unlike the movie theater on the top decks, and several live entertainment options.

However you're basically right by the casino! Wow! Your deck looks like this! There aren't as many guests by the elevators because most of them are settled away, watching performances or, well. Gambling!

You can already hear the sound of coins in trays and obnoxiously loud machines chiming... ]

[dijun]

[ hm. zhongli looks at the map in his hand, letting the glasses slide down his nose so he can look over top of them before he turns... to face the direction of the casino. ]

Shall we head straight to the casino? If The Idol is interested in siphoning money, and using it for their own profit, it would make sense to be mingling there, I think.

[ but at least there's fewer things - albeit more people, probably - for them to sweep down here. ]

[outdistanced]

[ extreme grandma vibes rn ]

It makes more sense that way. That's what they came for in the first place, so... if they aren't there, we can backtrack?

[ starts wandering toward the casino area...? ]

[holyspirits]

[ Into the casino you go! It's fucking massive! It's also designed in a kind of labyrinthian way, kind of like they want people to get disoriented to stay longer. Honestly it's kind of hard to get a grasp of where you've looked and where you haven't. Also, you pretty quickly get accosted by a worker who seems very intent on blocking your view to talk to you!

Gotta make that money!]

Hello! Do you already have a gamecard set up?

[dijun]

[ a part of zhongli wishes that he had a pen with him, or something, so that he could try and draw on the map to better navigate this place as they go in. at least he doesn't startle, being accosted - at least, at first. the voice hits him, first, and his head snaps up so that he can look at the casino employee.

his grip on the map tightens, but he swallows down the despair with a reminder of she's not really here. ]

... I certainly don't. It would be my first time here.