W5 CYOA - Zhongli, Akihiko, Laurence, Ali Zoph

[holyspirits]

aaaaaaaaaaaa

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[ziosar]

[suddenly a post-it note with 'outdoor theater' appears attached to the map (nah)]

It makes sense an idol would want to be near a stage. We'll try to get behind the scenes]

[Cleaning people are needed in such places too, after all!]

[holyspirits]

[ After a little bit both Ali and Akihiko also get this message. How does that work timeline wise! Don't worry about it! ]

The Idol last spotted on the Promenade using the elevators to possibly go towards a stateroom.
Security on the ship believes there is an imposter for The Idol running around, but there is only the target, no second individual. If you need to send them on a goose chase you might be able to use this.

[smokeandglasses]

[Welp. Things just got complicated.

After reading all of the messages, he will send a quick response:]

On it. You'll know if we run into trouble.

[And then he takes one of the random carts and starts pushing it towards the elevators. He gives a quick nod to Akihiko to follow along. To the stateroom floor they go!]

[holyspirits]

[ are you splitting up with akihiko heading to the theater while ali goes to the staterooms?

or are you both headed to the staterooms now? ]

[ziosar]

[There's way too much to do, so...]

We're going each our own way. Take care.

[Splitting up in dangerous places you're exploring is a natural action for a team, hell yeah.

Akihiko steps away a little, and three seconds later comes back for a cleaning cart, and hurries with it in direction of the Theater. The Idol is supposed to get there for the show, after all! Better go for the more guaranteed place, than going on a wild goose chase -- possibly.

If Ali goes to the stateroom, then great! If he decides to tag along to the Theater, that's fine too, yup. Works either way!]

AKIHIKO

[holyspirits]

[ neato! then for organizational purposes, here is Akihiko's thread and I'll make a subtl for Ali as well!

Akihiko takes his cart and nyooms off for the theater. It's a big outdoor theater with a giant projector screen behind a stage. It has colosseum seating looking down.

Currently there are a few scattered guests in the seats, since there aren't reservations necessary. But there isn't a show going on right now, so they're mostly just there to eat lunch from the nearby restaurants.

Whatcha doin? ]

[ziosar]

[Alright, let's figure out what kind of show this Idol person will do here. Knowing that might be useful to know their future movements!

So, what are the preparations around here? What is Akihiko finding, that might indicate that stuff?]

[holyspirits]

[ This stage is currently pretty empty, so it's hard to tell what the live entertainment might be. Could be music. Could be cirque du soleil. Could be stand up. Who knows! But the projector makes it pretty clear that most of the time it's just used for movies. Not a lot to deduce there.

There are a few girls with helmets pushing large speakers around on the sides of the stage. One bunny girl is standing in the middle adjusting the microphone. ]

Testing, testing... 1, 2, 3.

[ How is Akihiko approaching? Can't exactly push that cart down colosseum seating stairs. ]

[ziosar]

[I for one am looking forward to the spectacular cirque du soleil the Idol will do today.

Descending the stairs with the whole cart probably won't do, so Akihiko instead rummages on the cart and gets a rag and the most all-purpose spray bottle he could find. As long as it looked like it had liquid in it, it'd do. With this stuff in hand, Akihiko descends the stairs to approach the stage. He's not going up there because it's empty, but he approaches this girl at the microphone]

Is something happening today?

[Since finding out anything through deduction won't do, it'll have to be done through talking. Let's test the waters and see what we get here.

Still, that's not really the only goal here. This is an outdoors stage, but it's unlikely the Idol would come down from the colosseum seating. There must be an alternate way for the artist to get to the stage. That might be the best way to intercept the Idol, probably...is any route like that visible?]

[holyspirits]

[ The microphone is ON, and all of this is being broadcast on those speakers. The girls pushing them don't seem to mind that it is eardrum burstingly loud right by their. Well. Ears. ]

Something is happening every day. Nah, just kiddin'. I know what you mean. Step right up, you're today's opener!

[ There are some scattered claps and kind of joking 'woos' from the crowd, who think this is a pretty funny mic check.

As Akihiko approaches he can actually see that there isn't much of a backstage or alternate area of approach. It's outdoors and at the back of the ship. Wasn't the cafe at the back of the ship too. Don't worry about it. So there's like... Space for a performer to MAYBE change clothes real quick and some storage behind the projector screen. But otherwise just a bit of empty space. ]

[ziosar]

You can't be serious...!

[Shit. Akihiko's mind races. What blends in more? To accept, or to refuse? Is asking someone who came to clean to come and do something at the microphone something normal?!

.......

Well no time to think]

F-Fine. Don't complain if it ends up a mess.

[Akihiko puts the rag and spray bottle on the floor, and gets in front of the microphone, arms crossed because he doesn't know what to do with them.

And he delivers a minute-long boxing match commentating he recalls from one of his own matches. This is not the greatest spectacle ever, but hey, at least it tested the microphone and that's what matters.

Face slightly flushed, Akihiko steps away from the microphone]

You can't just put people on the spot like that!

[holyspirits]

[ Okay. Well he does all of that for some reason. She lets this happen I suppose. Why not!

Once he's stepped away from her mic again, she resumes her spot behind it. ]

Cool. Really not what I meant, and really wasn't your turn yet. Hadn't even put the spotlight on you yet, bud. You kinda just did all that to yourself. But I guess that's the kinda guy you are.

[ And she gestures to the projector behind her. Which is now displaying Akihiko in a fist-fight brawl with Majima. Hey. This probably looks familiar! ]

[ziosar]

[The sight of his crime being displayed like this makes Akihiko wince. Picking up the rag and spray bottle, he shakes his head, trying not to look anyone to the eyes]

I came here to clean; I didn't come here to watch that.

[Time to leave this stage in a hurry. Yeah, he accepted what he did, but there's a whole world of difference between people from heaven knowing about it, and random girls from who knows where knowing about it! Geez.

Akihiko takes out his phone, messaging the rest]

I'm at the theater but there doesn't seem to be much productive to do over here. Any luck wherever you guys are?

[Well, they sure have had more luck than you, Akihiko]

[holyspirits]

Not so fast.

[ He can try to leave, but the video is still playing. More and more guests are starting to wander over, the crowd of them cutting off his exit as they realize there's actually a "movie" to watch and try to claim good seats.

Him walking away is not going to make this video stop playing. Him trying to turn his back on it doesn't change what he's done.

The video progresses, violence in the candy castle foyer playing out just as he remembers.

But sure! He can send that text! ]

[ziosar]

[he came here to attack some idol person he doesn't know and instead he is getting attacked in a new and novel way!!!

Putting the phone away and noting his way out is blocked by crowds of people, he turns towards her]

I won't bother asking where or how you got that from, but that doesn't mean you can just air someone's past like that.

Just turn it off, please. I'm trying to start over, alright?

[He's trying not to make a scene because if he goes and like unplugs the projector or anything, it will cause a hubbub, he's sure, but damn, he never thought that here, in this ship of all places, his own crime would be reminded]

ALI

[holyspirits]

[ Ali, meanwhile, it sounds like is headed for the staterooms! So he goes over to the elevators.

Other people look a little annoyed that he's there with a cart. At the guest elevators. Are they going to have to make room for all that. Well, whatever. They're teenage girls so they just passive aggressively whisper about it and text each other instead of saying anything. ]

[smokeandglasses]

[Ali survived the teenage years with his daughter, nothing they can say or do will hurt him. No teenager can compare to the PTA.

He'll just get off on the staterooms floor and start pushing his cart down the hall. He pauses like he's checking the list of rooms to be serviced- and if that list is on the cart he will actually look at it for handy notes- but he's also keeping his eye out for any room with added security around it.]

[holyspirits]

[ Oh, okay. He gets off on the stateroom floor!

It's just a loooooong hallway with a few girls walking up and down the hall.

Past the back elevators, where a few people are waiting after having pressed the button, Ali can see Laurence and Zhongli! Barely. In the way way way ACROSS THE SHIP distance.

It's a straight shot but you are at the front of the ship and they are at the back. ]

[smokeandglasses]

[Quick question: Is the Idol one of those people waiting around?]

[holyspirits]

[ One of them does fit that description! Wao!!! ]

[smokeandglasses]

[Great.

He's going to wait until the elevator doors open, then he's going to pull out his sniper rifle and shoot out the lights in the elevator, all in an attempt to scare the girls away from it.

Also I'm rolling for stealth too since he gets a stealth bonus.]

[holyspirits]

[ WELL YOU MISS WILDLY. This is basically a straight hallway and I would have given it to you if you rolled well... But on a three you're just SHOOTIN DOWN THE HALL.

You hear some random girls in the far distance shriek. Not in a 'scared for their lives' kind of way but more in a like 'UGHHHH this is so ANNOYING' kind of way. Who is roughhousing by the bedrooms!

One door opens, the person inside poking their head out to see what the commotion is. And you didn't roll well on stealth so they see you immediately. ]

C&C? What are you doing? Where have you been?!

[smokeandglasses]

[Going to just dive into that room real quick thanks.]

Distractions aren't going well. When did you get here?

[holyspirits]

[ Sure, okay! Welcome to a stateroom. It's pretty nice... Got a bed... a balcony... Stateroom things... ]

What. What are you doing. Where are the rest of you. Distractions from what? I got here four days ago because you guys absconded with our boat and ghosted us for a WEEK!

[smokeandglasses]

[A WEEK?]

We've been here for like three hours at most. What do you mean a week?!