holyspirits | W5 CYOA - Zhongli, Akihiko, Laurence, Ali Zoph

[ 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. ]

[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?]

[ 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. ]

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!

[ 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! ]

[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]

Edited 2025-03-19 23:43 (UTC)

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! ]

[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]

Why should I turn it off? Why do you get to decide when it's time to put the past behind you?

Because you're the only one left?

[Ugh...Akihiko puts his hand on his face for a moment]

Of course not!

[How to put it into words...]

...because nobody else gets to decide that but me. I'm the one who has to change. Obviously I'm the one who has to figure out when and where the starting point of any change is at.

So fine, if you and the rest want to gawk at that, go ahead. See if I care.

[He cares, deeply, but damn it, what else is he supposed to do without causing a whole mess that can put the current mission into peril? Sucks to have to swallow this bitterness, because it feels like a constant punch to the stomach to have this reminder especially when it's all so fresh, but oh well]

Pretty convenient. You decide you want to change, so no one else gets to care about what you've done anymore?

What anyone else thinks won't change what I have decided, and besides, I don't owe you nor anyone on this ship anything.

[Or at least he hopes so, because if it turns out this ship's population will, who knows, turn up at the end to vote or something to decide if he gets redemption or not, he's screwed!]

Do you owe anyone anything?

The truth, for example?

Sounds to me like you just act selfishly and dress it up in nice words after so you can forget about it.

[ The footage on the projector changes to his execution with Laurence.

The crowd gasps and oohs sympathetically, but Akihiko gets the feeling it isn't him they're sympathetic towards. ]

[Akihiko sure can feel the stares of the crowd, watching his execution. Great! What's next, he wonders, what other salt is going to get rubbed into his wounds next?! Akihiko grits his teeth for a moment]

Do you really think any of that is something I can forget?! I couldn't even if I wanted! All that is going to follow me forever. But that doesn't mean I'm going to grovel in front of any random girl on a random ship!

[ She doesn't respond to him, instead focusing briefly on Ali. RUDE. ]

W5 CYOA - Zhongli, Akihiko, Laurence, Ali Zoph

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