>>28374910
>> Ask Tessa if there's something wrong.

Rolled 4, 3 = 7

>>28374910
>> Ask Tessa if there's something wrong.
Don't press her too far though - if she doesn't want to talk about it change the conversation topic.

>>28374910

> Ask Tessa for gift advice.

'What do you get a really shut in girl who likes, uh, gaming?'

>>28374943
>>28374955
>>28374957

You hesitate to ask any question about how Tessa is feeling, out of concern that it might be a bit too much concern to show her. Then again, seeing how well the two of you are getting along so far, you'll just have to ask carefully, and-

'Is something wrong, Stan?'

You blink and return to the world, and Tessa's face - a lovely face - takes centre stage in it, looking at you. Oh *damn*, you need to look *away* when hesitating... now that the question's been shot back at you, you can only think to shake your head, but that only makes Tessa frown.

'So something *is* wrong. Sup?'

'Uh, no, nothing's wrong on my end.' Which is not exactly true. 'I was actually wondering about *you*. You seem a little subdued, compared to on the train.'

'Eh? Wow, okay... you really are a good watcher, then...' Tessa puts her fork down with a rather ominously loud *ting*. Or, rather, the house is just too quiet now. 'Nah, it's just that Steve was on the phone just now, and we had a bit of an argument.'

> cont'd.

>>28375044

Right. This is the moment at which you're supposed to say NOTHING. Just nod.

'He was actually a little angry that I decided to come up north on a long weekend, see. Because he's going somewhere with his softball friends, and he wanted to kind of bring me along.' She looks down at the soup, as if studying the oil bubbles popping up. 'But, you know, I don't actually like the softball people that much. Steve's a bit of an exception because he treats me well and he knows the lines I draw, but his friends kind of assume he doesn't need to, and what's he going to say, right, so...'

Don't make any noise, Stan, don't- why did you grunt? Your little 'Mm' was all it needed to snap Tessa out of her little confessional, and she glances up again and shrugs.

'Heh, yeah well, that's mostly it,' Tessa says. 'Tough to be in a relationship.'

'I suppose, yeah...' you have a sense you know what question is coming. A counterattack is inevitable.

> Deny everything.
> Ask for gift advice.
> Ask another question (write-in) to forestall Tessa.
> Put down your bowl and run for the hills.
> Other.

>>28375049
>> Ask for gift advice.

>>28375049
Mention we've been in relationship troubles as well with a girl we like. Vaguely describe how we know Elina as a reclusive girl who likes games, and how we don't really know much about her besides that. Then
> Ask for gift advice.

>>28375116

Seconding this one.

>>28375116
Thirding.

>>28375105
>>28375116
>>28375123
>>28375142

Well, Stan, aren't you just the fortune teller. Listening to Tessa trail off, you bite your lower lip a little, and then hold back a sigh when she picks up her fork again, speaking in as casual a tone as she always does.

'So, how about you? I mean, girlfriend wise.'

At least Da gave you something you could talk about then - thanks, Da. Also, seeing as how he's gone upstairs to ask Penny if she wants food - you're just going to assume he means food - it looks like Penny might not be hungry. Dear god... 'well, it's complicated.'

'In the words of the great sage Zuckerberg?' She laughs. You manage a grin. 'How complicated is complicated?'

'Okay, actually, not all that much. Just mostly considering what sort of gift I ought to get her. It's a little weird, see, she's, uh, she's a bit of a shut-in as well. And she likes games, but that's about it.'

'Well, liking games is good enough. You mean computer games? Get her something she'd like to play, then.'

'Yeah, see, she doesn't... really have a computer or a console. I don't think.' In fact you're pretty certain about this. She doesn't even have a TV, unless Kelvin had one hidden away in a room. And you do not want to think about why he might want a TV in a room. Don't even think about Kelvin, for fuck's sake!

> cont'd.

>>28375156

'Woah. So you're already at the stage where you've seen her furniture?' Tessa sits back, in a look of surprise that you'd immediately recognise as mocking if you didn't think a bit better of Tessa. 'Get in there, Stan, I didn't let Steve into my place until we were steady for like three months... okay, sorry. You're blushing.'

'Eh?' Your cheeks do feel warm, though, and it's not the udon steam either. Let's press on with a smile. 'But anyway, yeah. Saw her furniture, if that means progress. But so far the gifts we've given don't really make sense, see, so I can't... there's no track record, you know? I baked a cake for her.'

'That is *so sweet*. And what'd she do?'

'She liked it, yeah. And then she gave me, like, two steaks.'

'See, you're spoiling her and now she's on to you!' Her free hand drums on the table, long, varnished fingernails making a rhythmic tapping noise as she thinks. 'Okay, seriously, though. If you don't know her hobbies... have you observed, like, some of her mannerisms before? Like, little movements and tics, maybe in the way she talks? Like Melissa, she's always like 'oh man, winter is coming', so guess what TV series she's into, eh?'

> Roll d100, with a bonus, to remember that.
> What do/say, Stan?

Rolled 42

>>28375190

Rolled 10

>>28375190

Rolled 16

>>28375190

Rolled 38

>>28375190
She doesn't really seem to have many. Maybe some nice PJs?

Rolled 40

>>28375190

>>28375190
We seem to be pretty bad at remembering stuff about Elina. Maybe buy a gift related to Sweden?

>>28375203
>>28375207
>>28375217
>>28375228
>>28375230

> Fortunately there was a roll in the previous thread which was high and therefore had a good bonus...
> 42 + 25: bare success.

You look back down at your noodles, the udon like white snakes curling and reclining and relaxing in the soup. Well, okay, if the snakes *were* in that soup, they wouldn't be relaxing. And of course, if there were snakes in your soup noodles, you would not be relaxed.

OI, STAN, FOCUS.

Elina, Elina - playing games on the Funstation, her fingers flitting around the controller with insane agility... you seem to recall that even after she tossed the controller to you, her fingers were still moving. Come think of it, she had a strange way of using that controller; a normal person would hold it and use the thumbs, but Elina puts the controller on her lap and plays on it with all her fingers - which is why she could possibly use it upside down at first, anyway. Hmmm.

'So, Sherlock, any clues?'

You glance at Tessa, and then at her noodles - woah, she's finished them! Well, that's as good a compliment as any, especially since she's probably quite diet-conscious. 'Hmm. She's good with her fingers.'

'Didn't need to know that.'

Oh, god. That's not what you- gah...

> So, any ideas on that gift? PJ's sounds possible.
> Ask Tessa to do anything after lunch? You're kinda full, even though the udon is half finished.
> Or be by yourself. Weather's shit, but town's still open.

>>28375317
Maybe a Rubik's cube?

>>28375336
Seconding this. Maybe there's a shop somewhere in town to buy a Rubik's cube. Ask Tessa if she wants to come along.

>>28375317

Fingers...?

Maybe piano?

>>28375355
Piano's are hella expensive

>>28375361
Maybe a shitty Casio keyboard, to get her started. They'll have one in a Salvation Army.

>>28375377

This could work... except how do we carry it back?

>>28375336
>>28375348
>>28375355
>>28375361
>>28375377
>>28375394

'No, I mean...' your cheeks are palpably warm again. 'I meant she's pretty dextrous with her fingers. On a game controller, that is!'

Tessa titters. 'Well, if that's the case...'

'Hmm, some sort of dexterity puzzle? Like a Rubik's cube? Or like one of those string... puzzly... those, like, three rings pulling into one ring things?'

'Heh, but having quick fingers doesn't mean she's into puzzles, does it?'

Yeah, she has a point. You bet there's plenty of people in school who might be, uh, quick with their fingers, in the way Tessa means. Maybe even she herself...? 'Anyway. So, like a piano thing? Or a keyboard, which would be lighter?'

'Does she have a keyboard or piano though? If she's got either, maybe if you got her some sheet music that she'd like... man, I didn't know you were into mysterious girls, Stan. She sounds really mysterious. Where's she go to school?'

'She's homeschooled...'

Clearly the lines of inquiry aren't really going anywhere. You sigh and get to your feet, wondering how it got to be that you're discussing gifts. Gifts - it all sounds a little frivolous, given what Elina wrote to you in her third - and last - note.

'I want you to be safe.'

'It's good you're going out of town.'

'I'm settling things with Kelvin.'

Settle - settle how?

> Talk some more. (Write-in)
> End convo, do something else (Write-in)
> Other.

>>28375442

Let's look for a Rubik's cube then, I think.

Must be a shop somewhere.

Maybe go and look at the library? Is it nice?

>>28375442
Thank Tessa for her advice and then go to the gym. It's time to bulk up.

>>28375477
>>28375469

Tessa grins when you manage to get a thank you out, thinking perhaps that you're feeling a little awkward since you're talking about relationship matters. But this has gone beyond awkwardness or embarrassment, this feeling in your bones, as if there are ants in the marrow itself - panicked, lost, trapped ants, whose predicament only makes them even more aggressive and faster.

Trying to hide your unsteadiness, you get up and manage not to overturn your bowl, but then Tessa saves you, reaching to grab your wrist momentarily. It's a light grip, but it's unmistakably there, before she lets go. 'Dude, I'll do the dishes. You did the cooking, right?'

'Well...' well, you did. 'That's nice. Thanks, Tessa.'

The walk up the steps - 11 wooden steps, the wood a rich golden colour - feels like it takes forever, and you absent-mindedly scratch at yourself, though it's not your skin that's uneasy. Isn't it in some of those teen fiction stories, some of which you know are really popular in school among the girls - how, once you say you like someone and they like you back, there's some sort of mental link? And then whatever good or bad happens to the other, no matter how far away you are...

Well, it's bullshit of course. Or at least you thought so. But now all you can think of, in this safe house, far from trouble, is threat - revenge - rage - defence. A little like what Elina incited you into feeling, yesterday. You could grow this feeling, you think... or maybe you ought not to, not here. Let's not have a stress-out at Da's.

> Go to the library. Cool off.
> Go to the gym, work it out.
> Other.

>>28375532
> Go to the gym, work it out.
Then go check out the library

>>28375575
Agreed

>>28375575
>>28375631

> Damn. Sorry for the short thread, but have to run. RL is catching up.
> Next thread should be on Thursday; I'll see you then. Thanks for playing, you're all excellent.

It would be nice to go to the library - you know Da has spent a lot of effort collecting books, especially on folktale and horror stories, the sort of stuff he used to like. You can actually remember being 7, and Da reading Rotkappchen - the original one, with the blood and guts and everyone getting eaten - to you and Cath in bed. Cath slept like a pig after that.

You didn't sleep for three fucking nights.

Well, or at least Da used to love horror, and folktales, and all those stories of blood and gore. Maybe in some strange, cosmic way, he attracted someone's attention? Is that why all this has happened to your family? And is it also something that's stuck to you, so that wherever you go, there is violence?

It's either you, or it's someone around you, like Caitlin. Of course, you don't even know Caitlin that well, though it might be handy to - you know her boyfriend's also from the softball team. Those guys are fearsome. Have them on your side, and, well... but maybe, if there has to be violence around you, you're doing a good thing by sitting and taking it.

... Oh, bollocks it is. Elina's right. No one should be hitting anyone without being hit back. This isn't even revenge - it's just justice, evening the score. But you can't do that while being the scrawny shit you are.

> cont'd.

Can someone give me a recap of the last thread? I was at work and couldn't be here...

>>28375695
Threads are here:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Urban%20Story%20Quest

>>28375689

> Actually, I do have a question for players, since it seems we've cobbled up a crew. Roughly which timezones are you in, and when would be good for you to be here?

Da's gym is a small, white-lit room, kept meticulously clean as usual and with plenty of weights and some machines. You are drawn especially to the rowing machine, lying there. Maybe if you worked out while sitting down, it might be a bit more comfortable. You don't mind running, but running on a treadmill, spending all your effort to stay in one place, always seemed a little daft.

...

...

FUCKING HELL ROWING IS HARD. You follow the kind instructions on the side of the machine for a 'light, relaxing workout', and 20 minutes later you barely just have the strength to not simply let go of the handle, sliding forward to put it there nicely before falling off the machine and flopping onto the floor.

Ohhh this is nice. This is comfy. Lying spreadeagled, looking up at the plain ceiling, you start thinking about tomorrow. See, this will all be nice. You'll teach Tessa how to cook. Then you'll go out to the high street - this town's high street is actually really nice, now that you remember some things about it. There's a bookshop that sells arty and musical stuff, and then there's a few quirky shops selling quirky stuff for all the rich and decidedly un-quirky residents here, allowing them to pretend.

If you can get a Rubik's Cube, or maybe some piano music, or maybe a musical box or something... musical boxes are romantic too, aren't they? But just as you consider romanticism, the door slides open and you sit up in a panic to see Penny, hair in a ponytail and dressed in midriff-baring gym kit with short shorts, coming in.

'Hey there, Stan,' she says, and seems about to ignore you.

> Talk to her.
> Let's get to the library.
> Other.

>>28375765

> Talk to her.

Just small talk. Then we go to the library.

>>28375867
yeah, quick talk to settle some awkwardness, then library
>>28375765
eastern

>>28375922

> So evenings good for you then?

>>28375932
sure

>>28375716
Thanks!

>>28375765

Also, as usual, suggestions, opinions etc. are welcome.

>>28375765
I'm GMT
And let's make a little small talk.

>>28375765

Second small talk.

Also, music box sounds like a really good gift. Quirky shops might have those too.