W5 CYOA - Zhongli, Akihiko, Laurence, Ali Zoph

[holyspirits]

aaaaaaaaaaaa

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[outdistanced]

[ is this what all casinos are like? so dizzying and full of sensory overwhelm? it's a little alarming, and he finds himself pressing a little closer to zhongli even as he thinks oh this isn't that abnormal actually.

confusing. he's going to get a headache at this rate.

but that voice pulls him out of it in an instant, head whipping around in shock. ]

Chrono?!

[ and he actually recognizes laurence? unlike a certain little jackass who won't be named? he glances back at zhongli, clearly uncertain but also wanting to go talk to chrono who is so obviously just on this adventure with them, what the fuck. ]

We didn't pay for anything though... You sure it's okay?

[holyspirits]

Hey. When did you get here? How long's it been on the outside?

[ He looks... worried? But maybe kind of resigned? He looks pretty tired, you think.

But yeah, this is exactly what casinos are like. In fact, there are first aid kits attached to various columns throughout the winding path, because it's designed to trap people on purpose which means it's harder to get medics to where they need to go in a timely fashion. #REALCASINOFACTS.

Hu Tao does actually pause for juuuuust a moment. She looks a little bit somber. ]

You're going to want to follow me.

[dijun]

[ this is horrifying knowledge, thank you cola.

zhongli looks in the direction of hu tao's voice, pensive. normally he would fall into step with her immediately, but, like this... he's hesitant. especially to see the shift in her - she is only ever so subdued in the most serious of moments. ]

I'm not sure. But it's like Iris - she shouldn't be here. Surely it's not real. [ staring after her, before raising his voice for her to hear over the cacophony of noises: ] We're coming.

[ they are not immediately coming. let's talk to chrono. tf do you mean HOW LONG ]

[outdistanced]

[ not the med kits... that puts him a little on edge because something about that very much is not right. zhongli being so uncertain puts him even more on edge - he has always been so steady. laurence has never seen him hesitate like this. ]

...Maybe not.

[ he's not so sure if it's real or not. so he just refocuses on chrono, stepping away from these two for just a moment. they can follow her again soon, but this is important. ]

Just got here, man. What do you mean how long? [ hello? laurence tentatively reaches for his wrist. ] Maybe you should just come with us, too.

[holyspirits]

[ Hu Tao's expression flickers. Something like worry. Then she smiles, the look of it just a little bit strained. ]

I have other guests to attend, perhaps you can just meet me at the customer service desk.

[ But she does hesitate just in case you're telling the truth and ARE about to follow.

The machines continue to ding and chime and ring, all the noises cacophonous as they overlap each other and compete with the low thrum of constant chatter and laughter from the guests. You do not see a customer service desk.

I'm sure that's fine.

Meanwhile, Chrono's brow pinches. ]

I don't... totally remember. But I'm on a win streak here, so...

[ Hm. He doesn't want to leave. ]

[dijun]

... yes, of course, miss.

[ his brow furrows, and the hesitation turns into something more suspicious, more concerned. all at once, there are three, different people here that he's protective of, worried for, but hu tao stands on one part of the path and chrono sits at the other. ]

You should take a break, Chrono. [ tone serious, as he turns his head without taking his eyes off of hu tao. ] Perhaps tell us about your wins as we get signed up for a playing card.

[outdistanced]

Yeah, Zhongli's right. Just a quick break, and we'll come right back after, okay?

[ starts tugging him toward zhongli and hu tao. please? let's go? he has such a bad feeling about this why do you not know how long you've been here ]

I want to hear, too.

[holyspirits]

Win streaks break if you step away. It's momentum. And I know you don't actually care about card games, man. 'Sides, what's even outside of this place?

[ Does this mean that Heaven is bad or that he genuinely doesn't remember? A fun mystery for you. He kind of doesn't sound... entirely coherent? Like he's a bit dazed. Which you are starting to feel too, thanks to all the noise.

Chrono frowns at the tug and resists. You immediately feel the eyes of countless girls around the room landing on you. A fight?? A gun fight????

Meanwhile, Hu Tao shakes her head. ]

I recommend that you follow me.

[ True to her word, she is departing. ]

[dijun]

[ ... on one hand, they could simply leave chrono here and continue onwards. on the other, it's entirely possible that he's not really here, even though he remembers them, so it could be pointless, fighting him on this. but at the same time... what if it really is chrono? zhongli wouldn't forgive himself if they left him behind. ]

Follow Director Hu, Laurence. At least for now. [ ignoring the girls, he comes up behind chrono and gets him under the arms to haul him out of his seat. if he resists, then he will use a bit more force to lift him up and use his size and strength against him.

it's not a gun fight, and it's a scene he would have rather not made. ]

[outdistanced]

Huh? But...

[ looking back at chrono, very obviously not wanting to leave. it's only because it's zhongli that he reluctantly lets go to step back. ]

Just don't be stupid. [ big words coming from laurence nimith. they're probably directed at chrono but who knows. ] Fine, I'm coming.

[ follows hu tao, but not without one last glance over his shoulder. ]

LAURENCE

[holyspirits]

[ Hm! Okay! Hu Tao looks cheery and leads Laurence away. This is very funny you've isolated these two with each others' CR. But you turn a corner and these horrible loud game machines are immediately so disorienting all over again. Looking back, you can't even see Zhongli over the tops of the machines. Which is odd. They aren't that tall...? He's pretty tall...???

But off you go. For what feels, once more, like a long long time. You do finally spot the glowing customer service sign in the distance! ]

Thank goodness. Now. Let's get your card set up. Will you be paying with cash, credit, or collateral?

[outdistanced]

[ wowee! he's definitely glancing behind them frequently as they head off, trying to see if he can relocate zhongli in this mess of a casino, but that draws his attention back to hu tao. ]

Uh. Collateral. [ has no idea if they currently have anything on them worth $20. ] Favors, I guess? For him, too.

[holyspirits]

[ Unfortunately this is a business and she is not your classmate at your school. She can't guarantee that she'll ever see you again the way those girls (and Iris) could, so she's a little more hesitant to accept anything else. ]

Favors, huh? I don't know if I can make a good business deal on favors. Unless you're willing to pay up now. Then I might have a job for you. Could save me some time.

[outdistanced]

[ uh ]

What job...?

[holyspirits]

[ She's been pretty consistently smiling, but her expression levels out a bit. She doesn't sound like she's taking this lightly. ]

Need you to take someone out for me. It's their time. I realize it's a big ask, but if you've got nothing else, it's the only thing I really need done. It'd net you about $25,000 worth of points. Probably easy to hit VIP status before blowing through all that.

[outdistanced]

I- What? Take someone out how, exactly?

[ please say on a date he'd hate that too but oh god ]

[holyspirits]

Shatter their halo.

[ You know, in your Blue Archive brain soup, that this means kill. ]

[outdistanced]

[ that's what he was afraid of. it's like a panic button - suddenly it's very hard to breathe, and for a second, laurence just stares at her blankly, uncomprehending.

he can't do that. he can't do it again. kill someone? he barely even did that the first time, it was a fluke, he never meant to even try.

but what choice do they have when there's nothing else to offer?

he needs to find zhongli again. zhongli will know what to do. laurence turns to scan the for him one more time - but no dice. where is he? ]

Uhm... I'm not - agreeing yet. But who is it?

ZHONGLI

[holyspirits]

[ Meanwhile! Laurence disappears around a corner with Hu Tao.

Zhongli picks up Chrono under the arms, which makes him squawk a bit indignantly. And I was halfway through typing 'but there's nothing he can do about it' but actually I rolled a natural twenty for once in my entire life.

Chrono struggles free immediately, kicking and flailing like an insane person. Zhongli is probably more startled by the sudden burst of energy than actually getting beaten in strength, but what's done is done.

Chrono bolds for a column and slams a big red 'emergency' button. The girls at this card tournament ALSO BOLT. They just scatter in an instant like they're running from the cops, and you lose him in the crowd.

Sort of... wading past them... comes a familiar face. He is holding a gun! ]

Now, now. What's the problem here?

[dijun]

[ this all sure happens all at once. zhongli startles with the nat 20 flail, though he probably shouldn't be that surprised, considering how fiery chrono can get when riled up. his intent to remove chrono from the table and then immediately follow hu tao with laurence is just. gone. goodbye, plans, you did your best.

a half-step is taken forward, but as he turns his head to check on laurence... it's just him and the myriad of girls, bipedal animals, and robots around here, ain't it. no hu tao, no laurence, no chrono.

except. then there's lucas. oh n ]

... Lucas. [ do you recognize him like chrono recognized laurence? gonna find out. ] A misunderstanding with an acquaintance that had been seated at his game for hours without break, I'm afraid.

[holyspirits]

Zhongli, I hope you aren't disturbing the other customers. You think that it's only been hours? No, it's been much longer than that. As it should - this is a casino, after all. You're supposed to stay forever.

[ Well. There's one question answered! Lucas has a friendly smile on his lips, but he is also holding a rifle with both hands in a pretty clear threat. ]

[dijun]

[ neat! he hates it!

he doesn't make a move to draw either of his guns just yet, as he'd much rather not cause an even bigger scene. the rifle, in his memory soup, doesn't really surprise him, frankly - after all, he saw lucas wield a halberd. it's a decent replacement. ]

A new form of eternity, I see. [ bad. ] Well. I would hate to be a bother to anyone else, after an even greater misunderstanding than I initially thought. Would you be able to point me in the direction of, ah, customer service, my friend? I was on my way to getting a card.

[holyspirits]

I'm afraid we're on rather high alert right now. The safety of our valuable spending customers is of utmost importance. We might need to ask you a few questions downstairs, first. If you don't mind.

[dijun]

Certainly it couldn't just be due to me, could it..?

[ might as well ask questions. he really, really does not like that he and laurence have been separated. but if he stays with hu tao, wherever they've gone, at least he'll be able to find him again. and he has his phone. ]

If it would help, then gladly. Customer service is not going anywhere.

[holyspirits]

I should hope it's not due to you. This is formality. We've got a particularly big spender onboard recently and they seem worried about their safety. So.