W5 CYOA - Zhongli, Akihiko, Laurence, Ali Zoph

[holyspirits]

aaaaaaaaaaaa

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[outdistanced]

[ hhhh ]

...Nothing. We've got to find a way out of here. Help me look.

[ is there a curtain he's going to try to find a way out backstage ]

[holyspirits]

No. You owe me an explanation. What is going on? What deal? Why did you ghost us?

[ Iris is still pissed about their BOAT that you guys absconded with!!!!

He is not following Laurence's lead on this one and is starting to look antsy with his gun. Gun fights... are not a big deal, after all. It's how you resolve a lot of arguments.

But Laurence can look behind the stage. It's not really curtained because it's a big projector, but he can just walk off stage and circle around. There's a little bit of empty space... Wires... A little bit of storage... A privacy curtain so the entertainment can do quick costume changes. ]

[outdistanced]

What do you mean, ghost you? We were going to bring the boat back right after we finished here. We only just got here today.

[ sir did not pay attention to the texts because he was roughhousing the idol. whoopsie.

anyway if there's no one here what's stopping him from leaving. can they just hit da bricks. ]

[holyspirits]

[ There's no magic barrier keeping him in place, so he can leave.

But Iris fires a few warning shots at his feet! Hey! Dick! ]

You guys disappeared for weeks and didn't respond to any of our texts! And now you won't even explain what's going on?

[outdistanced]

[ jumps and kind of instinctively pulls his gun around, just in case? why is this instinctive. he shouldn't even know how to use a gun. ]

Hey! I'm trying to help you, you idiot! What is wrong with you?

[holyspirits]

You're not answering me. You're not listening to me. Look, I know we clearly don't get along - even though I don't even know what your problem is - but I did show up to help, so...

[outdistanced]

Oh my god! Fine!

[ stalks over to him angrily to get up in his business. sorry he's like this. he is gonna lower his voice for this so hopefully they can't be heard because he still!! hates it!! ]

Someone asked me to kill you, alright? Shatter your halo or whatever the hell. All she said was that it was your time, and I only agreed because we needed to get out of there somehow. I never actually planned to do it.

[holyspirits]

You agreed to KILL ME?

[ Iris backs up a step and aims his gun, purely on reflex. This is actually more about laurence being up in his business than what he's actually said. ]

[outdistanced]

I literally just said I never planned to! Do you have ears or not?!

Can we just find the rest and leave already?

[holyspirits]

But like... Still. Fine, I guess. Where are they?

[ Iris doesn't really want to fight anyway, so....... sure. ]

[outdistanced]

God, you're even more annoying when you aren't my Iris.

[ i mean what. anyway. ]

Are there others stages? Maybe that's where they went.

[ can they hear the others anywhere? if he goes looking is there. any trace of them. ]

[holyspirits]

The hell does that mean. There were the indoor theaters on the lower decks, I guess? But that... doesn't look like it.

[ You can hear the somewhat muffled sounds of the others' threads coming out through the stage speakers. The sound accompanies the projector screen showing what they're up to!

Zhongli fighting Lucas. Ali sitting with his son's gun to his head. Akihiko alone, behind an infinite incursion of projections because he's also watching projections on his projection.

They are very definitely on the outdoor stage. This one! But they aren't here. ]

[outdistanced]

None of your business.

[ ???? ]

...Isn't that the same stage? [ looks around again like is he missing something?? is there still no one in the audience, even hu tao?? no one coming for iris, either? ] What's going on? Why's this place so messed up?

[holyspirits]

I've literally been trying to get explanations from you this entire time, how would I know?

[ Hu Tao's gone... No announcer...

Just him and Iris. ]

[outdistanced]

Look, I told you all I know, okay?

[ turning back to iris since he's the only person here and therefor the only target for his frustration. ]

That Director Hu - she wants me to kill you. I don't know what else you want from me. What are you going to do, shoot me about it just because you don't like the answers I have?

[holyspirits]

I mean. I'll shoot you if you start trying to shoot me. I don't know. We could just leave.

[outdistanced]

I ought to for you being an ass when we asked about the boat. [ he is not serious. probably. ] And the others are still... somewhere, anyway.

[ looks at these screens. ]

I think we just need a way to find Zhongli or Ali. Maybe if we leave and come back, it'll change like the casino did...?

[holyspirits]

[ He sees that in the projection of Ali, Ali shoots the announcer and is returned to the 'normal' daytime ship.

Except, you don't have the announcer.

You only have Iris. ]

I doubt it...

[outdistanced]

[ rounds on him in irritation ]

See, that's how I know you're not the real Iris. You were never this negative no matter what I said or did to you! It was always "thanks for looking checking on me, Laurence!" or "sorry for worrying you, Laurence!" when you knew I didn't care!

[ which is why he's ranting at this guy who he doesn't even know! jabs a finger at him accusingly. ]

Iris was always a reckless nerd, but that's the only thing you guys have in common.

[holyspirits]

So you were just mean to another Iris you didn't care about and expected him to be nice about it forever?

[outdistanced]

[ the way this throws him for a loop because iris has literally been nothing but nice about it forever ]

That's - just how the real Iris is?

[ what do you mean he can argue back ]

[holyspirits]

Alright, well... You sound crazy. Sorry I'm not the "Real Iris," but I just want to get my ship back and go hang out with my friends.

[ You may wander the entirety of the ship, if you like.

You can wait as long as you want, time unmoving, stuck with this Iris who is all wrong. Who is... Maybe closer to the Iris that Laurence knows when he's with the girls he considers his friends. But to Laurence, just a stranger wearing his face. Wrong memories, wrong attitude.

Probably not even real.

Will Laurence make good on his deal with Hu Tao? ]

[outdistanced]

[ this seems like a great time to have the blue archive brain take over. stop being a weenie, laurence. he points the gun at iris, not to shoot (yet) but we'll see. ]

Iris doesn't have friends!

[holyspirits]

Yes I do! I'm in the Engineering Club! We make inventions all day long! Why would you want him to not have friends?!

[ Predictably, he is grabbing his gun again and aiming it.

Except this time he's fed up with the arguing and the situation and he just wants out, so he's actually opening fire! Stop being mean!!! ]

[outdistanced]

I never said that I-- augh?!

[ BYE TRYING TO DODGE

also shots back i GUESS but he's. not even aiming. ]