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>>3790214

“They don’t care if it’s legal, that’s for sure. Whatever the case, their plan is working: scores of people are leaving Pokyo Lokyo in droves. A real mass migration unlike anything I’ve ever read about in the history books. I heard they’re even merging some schools because of all the kids moving away.” Terry points out.

“I know Purple Rose is combining with ours, but that’s because their school got exploded…” Scarlet reveals some new information without thinking twice! Wait, when the hell was this?!
“We will see a lot of new faces then. Maybe one or two will join the art club? I can’t wait.” Terry sees the good side of a tragedy. “We were getting starved for newbies lately.”

“And it didn’t cross you guys’ minds to leave the city like they did?” Now that the topic has risen, you think it’s time to speak up.
“My parents really want to leave and I don’t wanna. It’s our last year in school, and changing would be really weird at this point.” Scarlet brings up a good point. It feels like ages since you’ve thought about school of all things. There’s more important stuff going on in your life than that. “I’ll probably end up staying in a dorm or something. I’ve always wanted to have some independence anyway!”

“My mom really wants to leave, but my father refuses to close another restaurant again. He doesn’t want a repeat of what happened back on Inomi Street. Scarlet’s parents offered us a place to stay if we needed to, but I’m on the fence as well. My father wants me to go so I can take care of my mom, but I don’t think it’s my responsibility. She’ll be in better company than sticking around in this dump of a city. I’m probably being selfish; my father is just trying to keep our only income going and I’m being too difficult. But I don’t know…” Terry seems to be in deep thought. Everybody you know has been having a tough time lately…
“Personally, it would be better if you stay. Maybe help your dad with those big burgers!” Scarlet jokes, laughing halfheartedly.

(Two prompts again!)

What’s your opinion on this heavy subject? Maybe being objective about this can help?

>Tell Terry you would prefer him staying. Good company is hard to come by, especially in these hard times.
>Tell Terry you wouldn’t blame him if he’s scared and wants to leave. The capital is not safe anymore.
>Write In.

Take your chance and decide who sings first after this conversation is done!

>Make Scarlet sing first!
>Make Terry sing first!
>Put them out of their misery already.
>Write In.

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>>3790216

Information:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/QM91m
Discord: https://discord.gg/AmjbaTR
Archives: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=do+your+best+quest (Rough Grammar ‘till half of the 9th Thread)
Complete Guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-nIx_dvaNCPQ7zLg2BK_ucCyGNM741kAANxqXj7hdDs/edit?usp=sharing

Votes:

Votes are counted until 25 minutes have passed. This rule doesn't apply to the last reply of the day.
Votes that require a dice roll are counted until 15 minutes have passed, so we can speed up the process. Rolls are counted until 10 minutes have passed, so be prepared!

(NEW) Dice Mechanic:

We always roll 1d100s!
Since most people weren’t happy with the system of averaging top four rolls, we’re using best of 2/3/4 depending on the attribute a prompt requires. If Johnny is a genius and it’s a Knowledge based roll, he gets more rolls (Max. 7)! If he sucks, he gets less dice (Min. 2)!

When asked for rolls, I will specify how many you’re going to get. Rolling begins after it’s asked.

Rolling over a 95 is a critical and ignores all other rolls! In the same vein, rolling 5 or under means a critical failure (only for hard rolls and above).

The difficulty of the roll is tied with the effectiveness of the action. In other words, the harder the option the better the result!

Don’t forget that at the end of the day, this is a story-driven quest! What the prompts are describing is more important than the difficulty of the rolls, for results in a fight.

Again, rolls are only counted when they are posted within ten minutes of being asked, so watch out!

>>3790216
>Tell Terry you wouldn’t blame him if he’s scared and wants to leave. The capital is not safe anymore.
>Make Terry sing first!

>>3790216
>Tell Terry you would prefer him staying. Good company is hard to come by, especially in these hard times.
>Make Terry sing first!

>>3790216
>>Tell Terry you would prefer him staying. Good company is hard to come by, especially in these hard times.
He's one of our few male friends
>>Make Terry sing first!

>>3790216
>Tell Terry you would prefer him staying. Good company is hard to come by, especially in these hard times.
>Make Terry sing first!

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“I agree, I would prefer you staying. Good company is hard to come by, especially in these hard times.” He’s technically one of the only guys you know that’s your friend. It’s strange how many people you know are cute girls or women…
“That means a lot, Scarlet, Johnny. Thank you.” That genuinely moved Terry. He didn’t expect you to admit that to him. “I’ll see what I can do to stay then.” He sounds a lot more reassured now. That’s good.

“Yeah. You can start by working your lungs out.” You hand Terry the microphone. A great weight lifts from your shoulders as you do so.
“Yes!” Scarlet pumps her fists in excitement in her couch seat next to you.
“Hoho…Okay, let’s see what I can do.” Terry fidgets in place and starts to unbutton his jacket off.

“C’mon! Stand up if you’re going to sing!”
“Yeah Terry, come on! Give us a good show!”
“R-Right.” Terry stands up and watches the TV on the wall. There’s scrolling song lyrics from the previous users of this room, as well as the title displayed. ‘Judgment’, huh? Sounds like a cool manly song to sing along to.

“What song do I pick for you?” You have the little tablet on your lap ready to search through playlists.
“I don’t know? Something from POKYO LOGIC? That’s popular now, right?” Terry seems out of his comfort zone. Your experience doesn’t stop you from feeling the same way either, and you’re not the one singing… yet.
“Woah, cool. Didn’t know you liked them Terry!”
“No need for compliments, I just did my research yesterday. Haha.”
“…Who does research for Karaoke?” Scarlet is justifiably weirded out.
“Anyway, here you go.” You pick a random song from that group.
“T-Thanks.” Terry’s wild ride is gonna start here…

Terry tried his best. That’s the best way you can describe it. He’s probably never done this before, because he was not only out of sync, he stopped completely multiple times when he messed up. You could feel his frustration through the pauses. If it wasn’t for your and Scarlet’s encouragement, he wouldn’t have finished. And as singing goes? Sadly, below average. The worst thing is that you are way worse, as they are about to find out…

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>>3790453

“…Truth be told, I don’t think this is my genre. Hahaha…” He tries to play it off, but he looks remorseful. The whole atmosphere is tense because of Terry’s self-loathing and failed performance…
“Hey Terry, this isn’t an exam or anything. You don’t need to prove anything to us.” Scarlet is being supportive to her best friend. “We came to have fun, remember?”
“Welp, I don’t think putting too much emphasis on how you did is going to help you at all.” You make your opinion blunt a bit. He needs it.

“I’m sure I’ll do better next time. This is just my first time.” You really want to be as naïve as Terry is being right now, but you know the harsh truth about singing. It is no longer your place to be blind to it. “Well, who’s next?” Terry wants to hand the microphone away. It’s a scalding metal curse gripping into his hand…

What do you do?

>Grab the mic! It’s time to kill ‘em all!
>Look at Scarlet and ask her to do it!
>Write In.

>>3790458
>Grab the mic! It’s time to kill ‘em all!
Or at least do badly so Terry wouldn't feel bad.

>Grab the mic! It’s time to kill ‘em all!

>>3790458
>>Grab the mic! It’s time to kill ‘em all!
We can make Terry feel better about himself

>>3790458
>>Grab the mic! It’s time to kill ‘em all!
If we get a 100 after this and make Terry feel even worse I'd die of laughter

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“I’ll do it.” You grab the mic! It’s time to kill ‘em all! You mean kill it! Yeah, this isn’t going to be great – but you’ll make Terry feel better before the inevitable happens.
“Good luck.” Terry gives you a reassuring smile, noticing you look anxious. Anxious is a good way to describe it.
“Guys… Why are you acting like this is some sort of punishment?” Scarlet is confused once again for good reason. You even picked this place, so you shouldn’t act this way. Little does she know…

“Yeah, what am I talking about? Johnny picked this place, I’m sure he couldn’t be that bad. He said so himself, his singing is unforgettable.” The two-faced Terry is making fun of you. He talks big after screwing up so badly in front of both of you.
“Ooooh! I can’t wait!” The cheerful Scarlet is oblivious to the horror that’s coming. “So tell me, what song do I pick for you?” Scarlet grabs the tablet and with optimism awaits for an answer. You’ve seen this girl crying, but in physical pain? You don’t really want to see her pretty face like that…

You’re starting to feel bad already and you haven’t begun yet. That’s always a good signal, isn’t it?

“Lemme think this through…” You’re beginning to enter into panic mode, despite looking like this is just a normal occurrence – it’s great to have elevated stats, but they do you no good in the face of internal despair like this…

What instrumental melody do you wanna totally butcher without remorse?!

>I’m Still Standing by Johnny Elton! He has your name, so why not?! [Legendary Hard Roll] [Handsomeness Based]
>Smooth Criminal by Jack Michaelson! It’s appropriate to ask them if they are okay. [Legendary Hard Roll] [Handsomeness Based]
>Nessun Dorma! Give it another shot! [Legendary Hard Roll] [Knowledge Based]
>Love Scope by YUNG-P! You have no fuckin’ clue what this is! [Legendary Hard Roll] [Handsomeness Based]
>Bakka Mitai! Express your feelings of regret! [Legendary Hard Roll] [Courage Based]
>Last Surprise! This will show how cool you really are! [Legendary Hard Roll] [Handsomeness Based]
>Write In.

>>3790632
>Last Surprise! This will show how cool you really are! [Legendary Hard Roll] [Handsomeness Based]
inb4 nat 1 causes Scarlet and Terry to lose hearing

>>3790632
>>Smooth Criminal by Jack Michaelson! It’s appropriate to ask them if they are okay. [Legendary Hard Roll] [Handsomeness Based]
Amazing song, can't go wrong with this one

>>3790632
>Write In.
Motorhead - Born to Raise Hell
If we're going to fail, we shall at least do it spectacularily
If no one supports it
>Smooth Criminal by Jack Michaelson! It’s appropriate to ask them if they are okay. [Legendary Hard Roll] [Handsomeness Based]
For the sliver of a chance that we're a smooth fucker

>>3790637
>>3790648
>>3790671
Let's see if you're a Smooth Criminal or just a Criminal! Please roll 1d100! Best of 4!

Rolled 16 (1d100)

>>3790680
warn them it's no lie how unforgettable your singing is

Rolled 65 (1d100)

>>3790680

Rolled 14 (1d100)

>>3790680

Rolled 81 (1d100)

>>3790680
We can still save this!

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“…Smooth Criminal.” You have an epiphany. This is going to be good…!
“Jack Michaelson…? That one?” Scarlet is a little astonished. You silently nod in response. “I didn’t picture you with that type of voice, but all right!” Aside from her initial shock, she’s happy to pick it anyway.
“Hit it!” You proceed to pose for no good reason, making Terry and Scarlet chuckle. The melody begins…

As soon as the song hits, you actually remember Nina’s advice from the time you came here without the other thought intruding in! Perhaps you are starting to work great under pressure! You do your best to nail the song as best as your current abilities allow you to, and to your surprise – you aren’t bad at all! You’re not great, but far from being a complete embarrassment! You mentally apologize to Terry, since he’s going to be the only one who will sing terribly today!

Geez, you’re sounding kind of like a dick. You need to keep your ego in check. But being fair, you absolutely blew it out of the water today! At least, keeping in mind what you were expecting from this.

It would’ve been perfectly great, if you didn’t try to copy the dance moves in the video, it got a chuckle out of Scarlet at least. Now your performance is over.

You earn +2 Handsomeness and +1 Courage for successfully singing a song in front of people and not fucking up!

“Woooooow! Way to go!” Scarlet cheerfully claps. One part of you feels like it wasn’t memorable enough from a good or bad standpoint. “You’re pretty good, Johnny!”
“I have to give it to you, man. You really did make me believe that you weren’t good at this at first! You’re a pretty convincing actor.” Terry gives you somewhat of a backhanded insult. Truthfully, neither you nor he took it that way.
“T-Thanks…” Feeling a little embarrassed, the only thing you didn’t expect today was actual praise. You don’t even know if you should tell them you’re usually a terrible singer. Eh, they don’t need to know that! For now you will take this victory. “I didn’t expect things go this smoothly…” You adjust your glasses, trying not to show your hand shake.
“What are you talkin’ about? You’re a pretty smooth guy in general!” Scarlet gives you a cheeky smile.

“I think he was making a pun there, Scarlet.”
“I was trying to play along with him, Terry.” Scarlet is not as stupid as Terry thinks she is!
“Oh… My mistake.”

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>>3790982

“Anyway, it’s time for Scarlet to show us what she’s made of.” You hand her the microphone.
“Finally! I’m dying to know how great our redhead here is.” Terry elbows you in the ribs, all friendly and relieved.
“Oh wow, why am I the one getting all the pressure…?” Scarlet grabs the mic from your hands. Her hands don’t tremble at all. “This isn’t a contest, guys. It’s all in good fun.”
“I haven’t pretended otherwise.” You clarify, for their benefit. “Either way, I don’t think you would have any problem beating any of our performances.”
“Talking about contests reminded me I haven’t punished you for losing that bet – remember?” Terry brings this out the worst moment possible! “Since it’s all in good fun, I believe it would be appropriate if I mess with you a little right now.”
“W-What do you mean messing with me?!” Scarlet looks apprehensive. You can imagine why.

“Hey Johnny, come here for a second.” Terry waves at you to come closer. Despite your better judgment, you comply.
“What is it?” You whisper, despite the room not being that big and Scarlet close by.
“While I said I would as I please with this. I don’t really want to ruin the mood. So please help me with choosing what the punishment will be. Pay attention and tell which one you prefer…” Terry whispers back. You don’t like where this is going…

After listening to them, they sound pretty tame. He hyped them up and they’re nothing; none of them are particularly serious. It’s a disappointment, but you don’t mind that.

What punishment will you select?

>Tell him you don’t want to be part of this.
>Punishment 1: Make Scarlet sit on Terry’s lap during the rest of the session!
>Punishment 2: Tickle punishment while Scarlet sings!
>Punishment 3: Order some alcohol and make her drink a lot!
>Write In?

(Last Reply of the day, we continue tomorrow!)

>>3790984
>>Punishment 2: Tickle punishment while Scarlet sings!
To be done by a third party
Us

>>3790984
>Scarlet must sing with a lisp

>>3791005
This is really cute

>>3791005
Will support.

>Punishment 3: Order some alcohol and make her drink a lot!

>>3790984
Backing this >>3791005 but promise her drinks later on to make up for it. We still have something else after this, if I remember right. The secondary votes were for
>Call Yu Yan and ask her to come over to your apartment! There’s something important to do…
>Call Nurse Kata and do whatever job she’s planning! Better get it out of the way as soon as possible.
>Call Ka-Shing and go see how he's doing after that shitty day he got mole'd! He’s not that bad…
Now we just gotta hope we have time for one of these things after this karaoke disaster ends.

>>3791978
I'm pretty sure the vote was for one of these things and even if it wasn't the only one that really got votes other than this was Kata's

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None of these punishments are worth inflicting on Scarlet. Is this really all Terry can think of doing? Screw all that, you have one of your own: Making Scarlet sing with a lisp. It’s the least seriously harmful one (the others have their own kind of harm, ignoring how weak they seem) and it could be cute instead of traumatizing. Terry agrees with quick a thumbs up and goes back to sit more comfortably.

“S-So what are you planning now?” Scarlet still looks apprehensive. She took the tablet a few seconds ago and handpicked the song for herself. It’s some song from an artist you’ve never heard of called Ambition-P.
“Quite simple. I want you to sing with your renowned lisp!” Terry speaks up, all smiles.
Scarlet turns to you with a troubled look on her face. It’s simultaneously heartbreaking and adorable. One part of you believes you’re being too soft lately…

“I promise I’ll buy your drinks later on to make up for this.” The guilt takes you over. You give in to the puppy-dog eyes.
“…O-Okey-dokey.” Scarlet resigns herself to her fate. She raises the microphone up to her face, and…
“Don’t start just yet!” Terry pulls out this phone and holds it up to face Scarlet. “Now feel free to go on!” Terry is having more of a blast than you thought he would. Scarlet being ‘punished’ is that important to him then?
Scarlet turns to you once again and looks even more conflicted than before. Goddamnit…

“M-My bad…” Now you’re the one feeling guilty. It wasn’t even your idea to begin with to have her punished now! You just took your own option to minimize any real harm!
“It isn’t such a big deal anyway. It was your idea after all, Johnny! Haha!” Terry’s plan was for you to take the blame instead of him! Now he’s all guilt free and enjoying himself. You’d retort back at him, but suddenly Scarlet is in front of you.
The defiant redhead hands you the tablet. There’s nothing about her that betrays any hesitation anymore. “I don’t cawe. Put play, pwease!” And her lisp in full effect already. Terry’s already trying to hold in his laughter, making the poor girl blush a little in embarrassment. Swallowing the bad taste in your mouth, you hold the tablet and watch her begin.

Scarlet begins singing Ambition-P’s song, a quirky combination between hip-hop and regular pop rock. It appears this is what the mainstream pop idols are doing now. You had no idea this was a thing. Modern pop isn’t exactly your favorite genre. As far as Scarlet’s singing goes, it’s not bad but you couldn’t call it great either.

>>3792381

Certainly she needs some practice, but that doesn’t stop her from being leagues ahead of the two of you, even with the lisp. The way Scarlet is moving along to the music is also way more energetic than how smooth you were before. She must be pouring all that nervous energy of hers into this performance to distract herself. With how high-strung she must be in this moment, it doesn’t do much to help her through this…

You’re the first one to admit there is something incredibly cute about the way she’s singing and dancing. It brings to mind a vivid image of watching a little kid doing their best, trying not to break in the face of everything around them. Despite that, Terry is having a hard time containing his laughter. Every single move Scarlet does, every single lisp that escapes her mouth sends Terry into restrained convulsions. The friend that outed you couldn’t handle it all the way and finally burst into full-on laughter near Scarlet’s song ending.

Thanks to that, the red-headed girl couldn’t keep it together and downright stopped singing for the last 10 seconds of the song. The look on her face tells you she wants the earth to rise up and swallow her than face this much more humiliation. Knowing that you’re partially to blame for this makes the sick feeling stab deeper into you…

What do you do?

>Say “That was weally cute!” then start laughing as well. If only to suppress the pain.
>“That was really cute, Scarlet. Good job.” Be supportive! You feel like shit too!
>“That was a dope song. Is that the type of music you like, Scarlet?” Pretend nothing happened.
>“Sorry about that. Like I said, the drinks will be on me…” Then order some drinks.
>Write In.

>“Sorry about that. Like I said, the drinks will be on me…” Then order some drinks.

>>3792384
>“Sorry about that. Like I said, the drinks will be on me…” Then order some drinks.
>Elbow Terry really hard. Why was he super insistent on Scarlet being punished, even after this long? You heard his shitty backstory a while back, but you'd expect him to be friendlier to Scarlet after how badly he treated her when she was a kid. Not fucking THIS.

>>3792384
>>“Sorry about that. Like I said, the drinks will be on me…” Then order some drinks.
>“That was really cute, Scarlet. Good job.” Be supportive! You feel like shit too!
Also promise to help her get back at Terry if she wants

>>3792384
>>“Sorry about that. Like I said, the drinks will be on me…” Then order some drinks.

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“Sorry about that. Like I said, the drinks will be on me…” The regret is eating you alive. You elbow Terry to calm down and let off some of this strain.
It takes Terry a good minute of laughing before he stops himself. “Hey don’t feel sorry, Johnny – she earned it! This could’ve been way worse, you know? Thanks to your input, I believe she pretty much got away scot-free. I’m sure neither of us are going to hold this against her since it’s all in good fun.” Terry says, once he gets his breath back. “You’re being way too serious about this.”
“If it’s in good fun, then why did you tape it?” You are not dumb enough to take this on face value. This has ‘blackmail material’ written all over it.

“To remember the good times.” Terry smiles. He’s hard to read, but you know he’s not telling you the truth right now. He keeps being a disingenuous ass about this Scarlet business, and you still aren’t sure why.
“S-Screw it, a bet is a bet… Can’t say I don’t back up my word now, Terry.” Scarlet snaps out of her ashamed cloud. “Unlike what Terry’s trying to tell you, now is not the time to make things more awkward and dull! Let’s keep on singing!” Scarlet sits next to you and glares at Terry for a second, making the soft-spoken sadist chuckle. This is one hell of an odd unhealthy dynamic they have going…

“If you want, I can help you get back at him.” You lean in and whisper to Scarlet.
“Sure.” Scarlet’s malignant grin is something to behold. And you like what you’re seeing.

“Woah, I can tell you two are planning something now! Should I be scared, hmmm?” There’s a taunting tone to Terry’s voice.
“You’re being way too smug for someone with his days numbered.” Scarlet snaps back, thankfully less tense now.
“Then I should be scared.” A sarcastic Terry replies. “Good. I missed feeling that way from you.”

And so, you spent some fun karaoke times with these two! You ordered some drinks, even some alcoholic ones (You all passed as 18 years old, except Terry who’s actually 18! You didn’t know that!) but didn’t go overboard. After your second attempt, your awful singing revealed itself – but it wasn’t ear screeching and still ended up better than Terry’s. Actually watching Scarlet perform without humiliating her made you appreciate her dancing moves! She’s pretty good! Oh, and Terry didn’t actually get much better, but he finished some songs.

It was a couple of hours of good musical fun, but your time here is winding down! It’s amazing how long they let you rent one of these rooms!

>>3792554

“See? It’s more enjoyable when we actually don’t actively try to make this unbearable.” Scarlet throws shade at Terry again.
“I just wanted to settle the bet as soon as I was able to. Did everything I could to make this as painless as possible, but you’re so sensitive sometimes. You really need thicker skin, Scar.” Terry protests but remains calm. “If you acted so hurt doing that in front of us, I can’t imagine how you would react to doing something else for people you don’t know.”

“Terry, who wants to be humiliated in front of her cr— friends!” Scarlet almost said something compromising there.
“I think it’s healthy between friends, but what do I know?” Terry shrugs. “Either way, we should be going, right?”
“Yeah…” Scarlet looks a little down.

What do you do?

>Ask both to go for lunch. The fun doesn’t need to stop now!
>Ask Scarlet to go for lunch with you! Have a nice chat!
>Fun time is over, you need to do other things with your day!
>Write In.

>>3792569
>>Ask Scarlet to go for lunch with you! Have a nice chat!
Lets try to raise her spirits without Terry trying to ruin everything again

>>3792569
this >>3792614

>Ask Scarlet to go for lunch with you! Have a nice chat!
Text Matilda, ask her about the burger place that's good

>>3792569
>Ask Scarlet to go for lunch with you! Have a nice chat!

>>3792569
>Fun time is over, you need to do other things with your day!

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“…Hey, don’t look so down, we can do this another time – right Johnny?”
“I still have some time left to kill.” It’s lunch time anyway. Some food would be good right about now.
“Can’t be here much longer though. Dad needs my help.” Terry backs down before you could even ask him. “I’m sure Scarlet would love to spend some time with you.”

You all leave the room and start walking down the hallway to the entrance. The vaguely familiar voices you heard from one of the karaoke rooms are gone now. Probably just your imagination.

“I’m fine with it if she is. Don’t wanna force her or anything.” You’re in the mood to cheer up Scarlet after what happened. If she wants to have some alone time to relax or whatever, then that’s that.
“T-Terry, don’t say that! Johnny, you don’t need to do anything this guy says!” Scarlet is flustered again, but not in a bad way like before. Did she not expect you to invite her out?
“Haha, here.” Terry gets out his wallet and hands her some money. “Buy yourself some of your beloved ice cream with this. Just make sure to share it Johnny, and don’t eat it all in five minutes like last time.” With Terry being so strained with cash, this clearly means something. You can’t make sense of what though…
“Huh…?” Scarlet is too confused to receive the money held out to her. You would be too if you were in her place.
“It’s an apology gift.” Terry scratches the back of his head and sighs. The sound is a lot more tired than you expected. “I’m sure I don’t show it, but I truly feel guilty about ruining this whole thing. I’m not exactly the best when it comes to reading the room, so… yeah.”
“You don’t need to do this. I had fun, silly.” Scarlet rejects the cash with a smile! She’s pretending not to look as down as she was before. Obviously the teasing got to her. “See what I mean, Johnny? You tease him back and he acts all victimized and lame. ‘Oh no, it’s a gift I swear! I totally did nothing wrong! I just feel bad for you!’ Terry, you need to get over yourself! You’re better than this!” She smiles at the awkward guy who caused her so much misery. Even her impression of him was in good humor.

“You’re right, Scar.” Terry smiles back.
“Stop calling me Scar, I don’t like it.” Scarlet pouts.
“Sure, Scar. Whatever you say.” Terry nods, smiling brighter than he did before. You don’t get Terry’s sense of humor. “Unless someone else is heading for the subway, I gotta get going.”

“I’m gonna stay for a bit. Scarlet, I didn’t kid about wanting to have some lunch with you.” Better remind her about that.
“S-Sure! Then let’s split from here! Bye Terry!” Scarlet looks really enthusiastic about spending time with you. Or maybe it’s because she’s separating from Terry? Crap, you can’t stop second-guessing everything about these two now!

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>>3792855

“I’ll see you two tomorrow then!” Terry waves good-bye as he walks through the main entrance door and out into the streets. Oh god, this is a painful reminder that classes return tomorrow. You’d rather be in another life-threatening situation than another month of school…
“See ya.” You wave Terry back and so does Scarlet. Now you’re alone with the red-headed girl!

“…S-So where are we going?”

Before you could say anything, a loud conversation coming from the end of the hallway makes it impossible to talk! You cannot help but listen to what they are saying…

“So I’m leaving! I pledged loyalty to another group! Sorry, baby!” That voice sounds familiar. You turn around to see who’s talking, and all the way down there you can make out… Perfect Billy Buonanotte! And he’s not alone!
“Don’t call me ‘baby’, I’m a grown-ass man…” That brash grumble belongs to none other than the billionaire, Ka-Shing! Despite his answer, they seem to be having an amicable conversation.

“Those two are really loud. Shouldn’t we talk outside?” Scarlet looks uncomfortable. This is eerily similar to what happened at the movies that one time. If it gets any similar, you know you don’t wanna stick around for long…

What do you do?

>“Tell me, are you a fan of burgers?” Invite Scarlet to whatever Matilda’s mysterious burger joint is! It’s too good to pass up!
>“Hold on a second, could you wait outside for a little bit, Scarlet?” You need to see what’s going on over there… in person.
>“Hold on a second, could you wait outside for a little bit, Scarlet?” You need to see what’s going on over there… invisible.
>“Let’s go outside, and I’m up for ideas for where to go. Wherever you want, I’m buying.” Time to use your money wisely!
>Write In.

>>3792856
>“Hold on a second, could you wait outside for a little bit, Scarlet?” You need to see what’s going on over there… invisible.
Oh, Ka-Shing is OK. That's good. Cool scar too, my dude.

>>3792856
>“Hold on a second, could you wait outside for a little bit, Scarlet?” You need to see what’s going on over there… in person.

>>3792856
>>“Hold on a second, could you wait outside for a little bit, Scarlet?” You need to see what’s going on over there… in person.
No need to go invisible, we're friendly enough with these too to drop in and check on them

>>3792861
It looks like an eyepatch to me

>>3792856
>“Hold on a second, could you wait outside for a little bit, Scarlet?” You need to see what’s going on over there… in person.

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“Hold on a second, could you wait outside for a little bit, Scarlet?”
“Did something happen? You don’t look like yourself.” She’s obviously worried just by your change of tone. Is it that obvious on your face too?
“It’ll be real quick. Just 5 minutes, I promise.” You calmly reassure here. Truthfully, there is nothing to worry about.
“Just be careful.” Scarlet’s worried face is guilt-tripping enough for you to be more careful than you originally intended.

As soon as she’s left the building, you casually approach both gentlemen without any type of disguise or bad intentions. Just to say hi and nothing else…

“Hey guys, what’s up?” You interrupt their conversation without a care in the world!
“Huh?” Billy looks at you, looks back at Ka-Shing, then double-takes back to look at you.
“Johnny boy! Good to see ya! Looking healthy.” Ka-Shing is the first one to actually acknowledge you.
“Can’t say the same about you.” He’s looking rough despite his high spirits. At least he has a cool eyepatch to go along with his scars and goatee. The whole thing actually makes him look ten times cooler, now that you think about it… “Sorry about what happened last time.”
“Like I said… no hard feelings, kid. We both played the game by the rules and it ended up biting me in my beautiful ass. I would’ve preferred it wasn’t literal though. That’s not my type of kinky shit.” Ka-Shing laughs. “I appreciate you leavin’ behind a little somethin’ for us and helpin’ out. You’re a tough but fair kid, and I’ve met enough to respect that sorta quality in people.” He nods at you, almost proud.

“The least I could do since I never wanted to get on your bad side anyhow.” He threatened you first – but like he says, it’s all part of the game you’re in. “I’m just glad we’re both alive after that, Ka-Shing.”
“Heh, you and me both Johnny! I was the one who started shit, I’ll be happy if we leave all of that in the past and move forward! It was a terrible bet anyway!” He waves a hand back in the air, all relaxed. “The stock market is not my forte, I suck at speculating! Business is business no matter how you slice it. When you’re successful you’re ambitious; when it goes south you’re greedy. And right now, I’m one heeeeeeeell of a sinner!” Ka-Shing laughs a lot. Then he cringes out of nowhere, breathing through his teeth, and cuts his laughter short. His wounds must not be healed entirely… “So I take it you two know each other, and you’re jumping to his side, right?” The rich man turns to the perfectionist, who has been quiet this entire exchange.

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>>3793114

“…” Billy remains silent. He hasn’t acknowledged you aside from the initial surprise. Perhaps he’s hiding the fact you’re working together. Well, not exactly now that you’ve left the team… but he doesn’t know that yet!

“Bah! I can tell whatchu doin’, Billy! If you’re working with the kid, I’m not having problems with letting you go. I thought you were joining another one of those psycho fuckhead groups or somethin’.” Ka-Shing reads Billy like a book. It’s admittedly kinda your fault for butting into this though. “Still, you’re not getting those cruise tickets – employees only.”
Billy bows forward slightly. “Thank you, sir. If it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t even be here. Despite that, I don’t wish to disclose any information about my group. You’re free to speculate as much as you want, but like you said – you suck at it. In other words, don’t ask the moon for sun rays!” He’s really a big fan of weird metaphors, huh? That’s kinda cool.

“Turning my jokes back on me? Gettin’ cheeky after your dismissal, ain’t ya?” Ka-Shing laughs it off, then pats a hand on Billy’s shoulder. “I’m gonna miss ya, man! Not many people I know out there who're good at bein’ elusive. But this isn’t the end of the road. I’m always open to new business opportunities, especially if it’s with you two. And that reminds me…” Ka-Shing turns to you. There’s an odd look in his eyes you don’t think you’ve seen from him before. “I need to know, Johnny boy. How is ol’ Rise doing?”

How do you respond to this injured billionaire?

>”First tell me how long you’ve known, and who told you this.”
>“She’s doing good. Anything else is none of your business.”
>“Maybe you could ask her yourself?” Give him Yu’s number.
>“Why do you ask? Why do you still care after all this time?”
>Write In.


(Last reply of the day, we continue tomorrow.)

>>3793116
>“Maybe you could ask her yourself?” Give him Yu’s number.

>>3793116
>>“She’s doing good. Anything else is none of your business.”
>>“Why do you ask? Why do you still care after all this time?”

>>3793116
>“Why do you ask? Why do you still care after all this time?”

>>3793116
>“She’s doing good. Anything else is none of your business.”
>“Why do you ask? Why do you still care after all this time?”

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“She’s doing good. Anything else is none of your business.” You politely but sternly inform him. “But why do you ask? Why do you still care about her after all this time?”
“A bunch of little birds told me about a certain giant skeleton monster that holds a grudge against her. It was supposedly defeated Judgment Day, but the body vanished before we could arrive on the scene. We don’t know the beast’s current whereabouts.” Ka-Shing gives you the bad news. He locks eyes (eye?) with you. “You’re the one taking care of her, aren’t you? Mr. Comeback Prince told me as much back then.”
“Can’t say much, but she’s doing more than fine.” You’re not sure if you should tell him about Osgood’s demise. Now is not the time for it anyhow.
“Keep an extra eye on her, just sayin’.” Ka-Shing gets all serious now. “And I mean one more than what I already got, okay?”

“You never answered me why you care.”
“Business matters aside, she… reminds me of someone. The kind of woman who leaves an impression on ya. So I have a soft spot for her.” Ka-Shing’s expression is melancholic, reminiscent of an old man thinking back to better days. “Right Billy?”
“Luckily our destinies never intertwined.” Billy looks almost relieved. You agree – old Yu Yan was a complete psycho bitch, and you still feel you got lucky the one and only time you fought her.

“She’s fine lady despite the loose screws.” Ka-Shing isn’t on the same page though. You don’t believe it’s a good thing he has good memories of Rise of all people… “Well guys, the boys are waiting to listen to my angelic voice! I’ll contact you when business opportunities present themselves. Until then, arrivederci!” Ka-Shing saunters back inside the VIP room, leaving you and Billy alone. The new member of the Motley Crew breathes a relieved sigh out, shoulders relaxing. He must have been tensed up the entire time.

“…Whew. That’s the type of intensity I only enjoy in bed.” You don’t know if Billy is joking or if this is his preferred metaphorical talk. This was no metaphor, but that’s not the point! “So you guys tracked me down? You really are good at this. Looks like I made the right choice to throw my cards in with your group.”
“I came here on my own volition, and this whole thing is just one big coincidence. That might be hard to believe, but that’s the truth.” You apologize mentally to everyone for not wanting to keep the charade of the group being cool and all.
“Then those vibes I felt before… Maybe it’s something else entirely? Hmmm…” Billy looks deep in thought. “Either way, your presence was a like a big spotlight here. It was really helpful to convey my message. Thanks for that.”

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>>3794235

“I’m having a hard time thinking how that’s possible.” The best explanation you can come up with is that being associated with you left Ka-Shing without concerns or doubts.
“As a spotlight, I know you’re brilliant. You can figure this out, Johnny.” Billy winks. He’s really cocky, huh? You can control the light or some shit thanks to Philonune, so he’s not far off. “I’ll be around the area if you need me, baby. And if you’re feeling feisty, I know a place to party up! It will be my triumphant return…! Part 4 of several…” Billy’s head droops at the end there.
“I’m already kind of busy right now, so I’ll see you around.”

You then part ways with the enigmatic Motley Crew member, who for some reason goes through the backdoor. Him not heading out the front and not running into Scarlet makes this next part a lot easier on you. You quickly step out of the establishment to find Scarlet casually waiting with her back against the wall closest to the entrance. Walking near, you mumble out an apology. Making girls wait isn’t very nice, even if it’s for a good reason!

“Sooo… Who were those people? I came back to peek a little ‘cause I was worried, sorry.” Scarlet acts guilty at the end there. You would’ve preferred if she didn’t stalk you, but nothing you can do about that now.

How do you respond to this nosy redhead?! (2 prompts again!)

>“I know them from work. They were patients and I wanted to see how they were doing.” An elaborate lie.
>“I know them from my time at the clinic. I wouldn’t call them my friends but we know each other enough for me to feel the need to say hi.” Full of lies.
>“We play card games sometimes together. And not the collectible trading card type, if you know what I mean.” Another lie.
>“It’s a long story for another day. I don’t wanna ruin today when we’re just about to go have fun together, you know?” You really don’t want to lie to her.
>Write In.

Where do you go to eat?

>Ask Matilda about her Burger Joint!
>Go to a cheap fast food place!
>Ask Scarlet to pick a place!
>Write In.

>>3794236
>>Write In.
Tell her the truth
>Ask Scarlet to pick a place!

>>3794236
>“We play card games sometimes together. And not the collectible trading card type, if you know what I mean.” Another lie.
>Ask Matilda about her Burger Joint!

>>3794236
>Write In.
Tell her the truth
>Ask Matilda about her Burger Joint!

>>3794236
>Write In.
Tell her the truth
>Ask Matilda about her Burger Joint!

So guys, what exactly is "the truth" as it pertains to this dilemma?

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>>3794262
This.

The fuck do I write?

>“We play card games sometimes together. And not the collectible trading card type, if you know what I mean.” Another lie.
>Ask Matilda about her Burger Joint!

I'm not sure if telling her the truth is the best idea. Except maybe the part about him giving us money for beating him at a card game.

>>3794236
>Write-in
"They're some guys I know. They look scary but they're just a couple of idiots"
>Ask Scarlet to pick a place!

>>3794236
>>“We play card games sometimes together. And not the collectible trading card type, if you know what I mean.” Another lie.
>Ask Scarlet to pick a place!
Why would we tell her about that?

>>3794236
>“It’s a long story for another day. I don’t wanna ruin today when we’re just about to go have fun together, you know?” You really don’t want to lie to her.
>Ask Matilda about her Burger Joint!

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>3794242
>>3794247
>>3794262

Telling the truth is 1. (Whatever that means)

>>3794245
>>3794273
>>3794286

Being lame is 2.

Rolling to break the tie.

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“We play card games sometimes. And not the collectible trading card type, if you know what I mean.” You lie!
“No, I don’t…” Scarlet doesn’t seem to get it one bit. No choice: you will have to spell it out for her!
“Poker. We play poker sometimes.” Would Craig ever host another poker night after all the events that have happened? Probably not. Who knows if any of the regulars are still in the city? You know one isn’t… around anymore. How many others share the same fate and you just don’t know it yet?

“Oh… I thought it was something different. It reminded me of what Terry’s dad had to deal with a long time ago.” Scarlet’s explanation snaps you out of your depressing musings. “I’m sorry for intruding again.”
“It’s fine, really. Now let’s go eat something, I’m starving!” Some food will do both of you a lot of good, and it’s already passing lunchtime! You pull out your phone as Scarlet looks slightly confused. “Matilda knows a really good burger joint and I’m gonna ask her where it is. One moment.” You dial the greedy girl’s number. Scarlet just nods in response, her demeanor a little more relaxed than before.

After cordially saying hi to each other, Matilda informed you there is no burger joint and that she was the one who actually made them. It would be an understatement to say that you are shocked by this revelation.

“You cook?!” Your response comes out a lot stronger than you expected. Matilda made such a big deal about getting food from you. You thought she wasn’t the type to cook her own meals. What the fuck?
“I make the best damn burgers in this whole country, Johnny. Nothing comes close to what I can prepare. God himself would grovel in shame before me. Don’t you ever forget it.”
“B-But why didn’t you tell me before…?” What’s with her acting like she bought them then? Why wouldn’t she just tell you she made them?!
“I wanted to give you a reason to survive. Something to look forward to.” You hear an amused sound from the other end of the phone. “Judging by your reaction, I like to think it worked. Don’t you?” Her burgers were pretty good, but not the kind to give your life a new meaning. At least, that’s not what’s shattered you right now…

“I… I see…” Okay, that’s enough of that. You called her for a reason. “Do you know a cheap place with good food close to the school?” You don’t want this call to be a waste of both your time. Time is money, as she would say!
“I do.”
“Okay.”
“…”
“…Could you tell me?”
“Yes, I’ll send you the address.” Matilda hangs up. You feel like she wanted to charge you, but changed her mind. She must not be experienced in charging over the phone.

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>>3794487

After checking the address, you turn to Scarlet…

“So it’s not exactly a burger joint, but it should be pretty good regardless…” Hopefully Scarlet isn’t too disappointed with that.
“Relax! It doesn’t matter where we go, Johnny!” A blunt Scarlet grabs your arm in a fierce manner! “I-It just matters if we go together! Let’s go!” She smiles as hard as she can, the effort evident even to you.
“Sure.” You are thankful Scarlet is an easygoing girl. Having her complain would make you feel worse.

It’s not long before you arrive at the address Matilda gave you. From the outside, the place appears to have been remodeled recently. The bright clean walls are plastered with pictures of sports events you aren’t familiar with, mostly boxing. Hell, they have a wall full of signed pictures of sport celebrities who ate at this joint. Despite the nice decor and visuals, the tense atmosphere inside flies in the face of your first impression. Most of the clientele seems to be middle-aged men (with some exceptions: there are some people around your age and women sitting here and there), and they serve meat-based food. Some of them give stern glances and cautious looks at you two, before turning back down to their meals as if nothing happened.

“W-Woah, this totally looks like a place Matilda would frequent!” Scarlet feels a little out of place.
“…Do you think she’s a sports fan?” You have your doubts, but you’ve been proven wrong before.
“You got a point, but I would be surprised if she doesn’t know kung-fu or something… Ehehehe…” Matilda probably knows worse than that from the yakuza. You hope the people in here aren’t all like that!

After a few quiet moments of looking around, you pick an empty table by one of the windows. A waiter approaches and gives you two the menu. The prices are more than affordable, that’s good. You ordered today’s special and Scarlet wanted… something else you couldn’t hear well. You were kind of distracted when she ordered.

“You know, this place reminds me of Terry’s dad’s first restaurant. A lot of tough dudes in here too. I used to go there all the time when I was little. But then…” Scarlet shakes her head, a grimace flickering on her face momentarily. “F-Forget it.”

How do you keep this conversation going?

>“So you know what’s Terry deal is? He’s kind of… weird. I don’t really get him.”
>“But then what?” Do you want to make Scarlet relive her painful memories again?
>“Is this place really fine for you? I’m sorry I jumped the gun and invited you here.”
>”What food did they have there anyway? Was it anything like they make here?”
>Write In.

>>3794490
>”What food did they have there anyway? Was it anything like they make here?”

>>3794490
>”What food did they have there anyway? Was it anything like they make here?”

>>3794490
>”What food did they have there anyway? Was it anything like they make here?”

>>3794490
>>“Is this place really fine for you? I’m sorry I jumped the gun and invited you here.”

>>3794490
>“So you know what’s Terry deal is? He’s kind of… weird. I don’t really get him.”

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“What food did they have there anyway? Was it anything like they make here?”
“Oh yeah! Well kinda; this place is closer to a steakhouse. I would describe Uncle’s restaurant more like a high quality fast food place. It was greasy as hell, the burgers especially, but people loved it! Even my doggy loved it! We didn’t give him burgers of course, that’s not healthy for a dog!” Scarlet’s excited nostalgia turns sad for a moment before continuing on. “But what people really came for was The Golden Crusher! It was this massive hamburger the size of my head, it was sooo good!”
“Was it really? Wasn’t it greasy like the other ones?”
“Nope! Uncle made it specifically to be the healthiest and most fulfilling burger ever. Maybe he tricked everyone including me since he kept the recipe secret!” Scarlet is weirdly passionate about this burger. “I would love you to take you there one day! I haven’t visited the place in years.”
“Sure.” It would be cool to see what this burger is all about. Good food isn’t something you’re familiar with. Also, you can imagine why she hasn’t stepped foot inside the joint.

The food arrives! Yours looks… decent.

“You know… Since we are talking about Terry dad’s place and all…” Scarlet gets a little serious. “Look, don’t take Terry too seriously. I saw you getting a bit annoyed with him when I was getting teased – but it’s all fine! See?” She smiles. It’s not forced like before. “He’s an honest guy, but can’t read cues correctly sometimes.”
“I wasn’t that annoyed with him, honestly.” You shrug and eat a bite of your steak. A silent moment passes. “…Well, no. I was. I could tell you were really getting annoyed, so that’s what really bothered me. Turns out I was just misunderstanding him the whole time. Sorry about that.” Guess Terry is more genuine than you expected him to be…
“No, it’s fine! It’s good that you found out now and not any later. It’s hard for Terry to explain that, but he does care!” Scarlet takes a few bites of her own order, and you do the same with yours.

“I’m bad at hiding it, right?” Your redheaded companion gives you a calm look. “Getting angry at the lisp stuff. I had to go to therapy for it, and I’m still too self-conscious about it. I can’t help but get really mad whenever it comes up; it’s hard for me to hold myself back when it happens and there’s people around me to see me that way. You didn’t know that, but Terry did – so that irritated me more than anything. I guess he still doesn’t take me seriously, even after all these years.”
“I’m sorry about that. I do think it’s cute though.”

“Y-You do…?!” Scarlet blushes, then shakes her head and takes a gulp of her drink. “I realize I don’t know as much about you as I thought, Johnny. I wanna get to know you better, if you don’t mind! I wanna hear it from you!”

>>3794641

How do you respond?

>Tell Scarlet your backstory, obviously omitting the parts that have to do with entities.
>“Okay, but what do you mean ‘to hear it from me?’ That could mean anything.”
>Tell Scarlet about the stuff you like to do in your free time. Not much, but enough.
>Tell Scarlet your opinions about random things, things you think about, and more.
>Write In.

>>3794643
>Tell Scarlet your backstory, obviously omitting the parts that have to do with entities.

>>3794643
>“Okay, but what do you mean ‘to hear it from me?’ That could mean anything.”
The whole backstory would probably bring the mood down a bit, and this is a pretty light-hearted way to take the convo.

>>3794643
>>Tell Scarlet about the stuff you like to do in your free time. Not much, but enough.
Don't hit her with the backstory here of all places. Let's just have a nice little date

>>3794643
>Tell Scarlet about the stuff you like to do in your free time. Not much, but enough.
Stuff that tells her about who Johnny is as a person, but doesn't overwhelm her or leave things hanging vaguely.

>>3794643
>>Tell Scarlet your backstory, obviously omitting the parts that have to do with entities.
I feel like we've gotten close enough.

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“Okay, but what do you mean by that?” You want to know the specifics here.
“Whatever you feel like! Doesn’t matter what it is.”
“I guess I could tell you about my hobbies and other things I do.” You adjust your glasses. You don’t want to bring the mood down with your horrible backstory! A light-hearted conversation is all you need on this nice little lunch date.
“Sure!” Scarlet is all ears! Great, because she’s about to be seriously let down!

You start off talking about stuff you like in general! Which is talking about movies, TV series, games, and other things you find entertaining – even cooking! Scarlet asked questions accordingly with each new topic, trying to dig deeper into your thoughts and emotions. Then into your plans for the future. Thinking about this topic and showing a lot of uncertainty to Scarlet, it’s only now that you notice exactly how directionless you really are in life.

You are a pretty good cook (if other people are to be believed) but would you like to be a chef? Isn’t that just making your little hobby something you would hate in the long run? Having the ability doesn’t mean you have the passion. There’s all sorts of people out there who find themselves in a job they’re skilled at, but they loathe it with every fiber of their being. You don’t want to end up trapped the same way, stuck with no way out and ruining something for yourself.

You have been getting into a lot of trouble lately and helping other people in the process, and you would be lying if you didn’t admit part of you likes that thrill. Maybe you could turn into a policeman? You have no desire to die though, and even less for a corrupt organization like your nation’s government. Maybe better to move into the countryside for a good local department, but where would you start? You would have to consider places to move to, think about what you need to bring with you, and more. It might not be guaranteed if they have any decent jobs open in the first place, or ever, and then it would be all for nothing.

You have always liked games and stuff since you were a child, so for years being a programmer was always on your mind. Even before all your family issues began their spiral down and things were nice, the idea was appealing. Since then, you did your research somewhat; read a few posts here, look up this company there, and so on. The game industry pays like crap and you would be overworked, not to mention a lot of backstabbing and heartless executives meddling for no reason? Would you even be able to take an office job if things don’t pan out? Aren’t the game industry office jobs just as soulless as regular office jobs, except with even more pressure and nonsense?

Uncertainty and possibility spin around your head. Damn. Scarlet is basically asking all the right questions, but this isn’t as chill of a conversation as you expected to have…

>>3794853

Scarlet find this all amusing, but stressed it enough for you not to overthink it. The cute redhead is in the same boat as you, as she doesn’t have a clear picture of what she wants out of life either. Obviously she’s more interested in other stuff… like animals, dancing, acting, traveling, and some more things. It doesn’t mean she doesn’t enjoy some of the same stuff you do – and hell, you were surprised she knew about some of the games you played! But the feeling is mutual: It’s kind of late for her to chase after her passions. The ship has already sailed, and she might as well look into some mundane office job that pays good.

If she wasn’t enjoying herself, you would’ve found this conversation gloomy and hopeless. But it is still something you need to think about, right? It’s not like the world is ending in a year’s time or anything…

…

You need to save the world. Nobody else will.

It felt longer than just an hour of aimless talking, despite what your phone’s clock is telling you. Maybe because the focus was on you and not her. It doesn’t mean your chat is over though!

“But really Johnny, it feels reassuring to know someone else who doesn’t have a clue of what he’s doing!” Scarlet says for the fourth time.
“We’re doomed, Scarlet. Doomed.” You joke. Yeah, joke…
“We’ll go get counseling at school later. They will probably figure out something we could do for the next few years. You never know!” Scarlet is very optimistic.
“They’ll dump us out in the countryside and make us work on one of those new ventures Terry’s conspiracy was talking about. We’ll be like those indentured servants you read about in the history books…” Doom, you said! Doom!
“I wouldn’t mind living by the beach though. A nice atmosphere can cure almost anything!” Scarlet glasses are a nice shade of pink that suits her perfectly. Nothing like your cool jade lenses…
“They’ll welcome us to the rice fields. Our backs are going to hurt like hell in our early 30s, our hair will go grey in the first two years, and we will live in a little straw hut with bad internet connection forever. I can see it already… and it fucking sucks.” DOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!
“Hahahaha!” Scarlet bursts into joyful laughter.

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>>3794859

Out of the blue, you hear someone dragging a chair towards your table loud enough to elicit complaints from the patrons around you. The scraping noise halts at the side in between you and Scarlet, and someone sits in it… It’s Trent! And he stares at you in silence for a couple of seconds.

“…Yo.” Trent is not anything like how he usually is. ‘Haunted’ is the best word to describe it.
“Huh?” Scarlet looks back and forth from you and Trent. “Aren’t you the kid everyone in school is talking about?” Scarlet recognizes him. Of course she would; Trent is pretty much one of the only big gang leaders left around.
“Johnny, do you have 5 grand?” Trent completely ignores Scarlet and asks you an impossible question. What the fuck going on?!

…That’s something to find out next time! Sadly this is all we have for this thread! Thanks for playing!

>>3794863
>“Johnny, do you have 5 grand?”
The funny thing is that we actually aren't that far off