W5 CYOA - Zhongli, Akihiko, Laurence, Ali Zoph

[holyspirits]

aaaaaaaaaaaa

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[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.]

[ziosar]

[Akihiko had been looking around, trying to catch anyone who looks like the Idol, so he didn't notice what got Ali misty-eyed. When he notices he's tearing up, he leans towards Ali]

Are you alright?

[holyspirits]

[ He looks a little. alarmed that you are near tears, but tries to play it off. For money! ]

That's me. Hey, I'm more popular than I thought. Tell that to my boss, okay? Clearly I deserve a raise if you're that happy to see me. Soooo... Two? Did you want a booth?

[smokeandglasses]

Yeah, sure.

[He has to bite on his lip and discreetly wipe the tears away. Just like with Iris before, this isn't his son, this is someone who happens to look like him.

And yet.]

You'll be our server, right?

[ziosar]

[...huh. Akihiko isn't sure he caught onto why the reaction, but he won't press the issue. Instead, he nods to their new server]

Have you been here all day?

[holyspirits]

Trying to figure out when I get off work? Sorry, flattery won't lower the prices. I don't think I've got your usuals memorized yet, but there's still time. Do you already know what you want?

[ You didn't answer him about whether you want a table or a booth, but you're also still engaging so he just leads you to an open booth. Everyone likes booths better, right? He hands you menus.

It's like a typical burger joint, but everything is crazy expensive. ]

[smokeandglasses]

[Booths are absolutely better, it's true. But Ali is quick on his feet, so even when they order drinks he'll pull Chance into this cover story.]

We're actually waiting for our third friend, but they haven't shown up yet. Have you seen someone with grey hair, teal eyes, and green halo that looks kind of like graffiti? They're a little short and on the thin side too.

[ziosar]

[Akihiko glances at Ali, catching on, and adds:]

They got to the ship before us, but this is way too big. We didn't think things through because they said they'd have our buying money for today--

[He looks at the prices and winces]

--and we really will need it.

[With some luck, implying that knowing the location of this person is a hugely important step for them to spend a whole lot of money will be encouragement to jog his memory!]

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.

[outdistanced]

[ immediately taking a a step back, spooked. looks at zhongli with a frown, looks at this worker, looks at zhongli... an iris situation? ]

Not yet, no.

[holyspirits]

Great. So basically what we'll want to do is get your name and payment information. Then you can buy points that go onto your card! You get $100 worth of points free, just for signing up, but there is a $20 sign up fee. But once you've got that, each machine has a slot for you to slide the card in so you can spend those points playing games and earning back more points! And the points you earn can be redeemed for cash when you're ready to check out. You can also refresh your card and buy more points any time if you need a little boost to get to your winning streak. And what's great about our casino is that it's not just points and money you can earn. If you hit it big enough, you earn VIP status, which gives you free room and board, plus free reign over the whole ship and permission to basically break any rule you want!

[ cool well that that's insane! but it's also canon! ]

[dijun]

[ seeing laurence out of the corner of his eye, he does reach over to touch him at the elbow, fingers curling and lingering for a second before he draws away and gives hu tao a mild smile.

it doesn't fully reach his eyes, but there's still a warmth there. this is fucking bonkers but of course she would enjoy something like this. ]

What methods of payment are accepted? [ because we don't have any cash fam. ]

[outdistanced]

Even if it messes up the ship...?

[ WHAT KIND OF INSANE RULE IS THIS. zhongli has the important question covered so he's just going to ?????? here for a minute ]

[holyspirits]

We accept cash, card, or collateral! And yup! But we find that most of our high rollers who hit VIP status just ask for free drinks for the rest of their vacation. And any damages they cause are more than made up for by how much they spent trying to get to VIP status in the first place. It's really only the big spenders that get there, or else people with really good luck. But don't tell anyone I told you that.

[dijun]

Your secret is safe with us.

[ looks at laurence and his luck. ]

Perhaps some form of collateral would be the best to get started with. Does it need to be given up front, or collected at the end of the day?