WEEK 5 CYOA: ICHIRO, ICHINOSE, MABEL, MANDRICARDO

[dormheads]

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[dormheads]

[ There's buildings, but despite lights being on in windows, they give the impression of being empty.

The puppy happily barks. He likes his plan!

As they walk, they'll hear the sounds of people cooing over their dog. Compliments about how cute he is, and how lucky they are, are abundant. This is a very dog loving area, it seems. When they reach the entrance to the park, they'll come up to an immediate fork in the path. The left leads to a grassy and open area, with a playground further way. The path to the right leads to a more woodsy area. ]

[foreversweaterweather]

[ Mabel knows this field trip is not going to go well, but it's so easy to forget that in the face of an adorable puppy and masses of people showing it love. It's so easy to forget.

She nods at Ichiro's instruction and sticks close. When they reach a fork at the park, Mabel pauses. ]

Where do you think we should go, Ichibro? I think he'd have a lot of fun at the playground!

[steelo]

[ is it? is it easy to forget? ichiro's on high alert pretty much this entire time. the weird, ghostly voices are putting him on edge, and the empty buildings are, too.

he glances back at mabel, and around at the surroundings, then behind them, wary, but trying to stay calm and steady, too, voice even. ] Yeah - we can start there.

[ watch all the plot hints be in the forest (no)

anyway he looks down at the cute, well behaved dog and nods. ] C'mon, uh... [ she gave so many names. he forgot all of them in the distress of cyoa and says the first name that comes to mind ] Miku? Miku. [ youre welcome ] Let's go to the park.

[dormheads]

[ Pichii barks! Yeah!

As they head to the playground, if they look behind them, they'll notice that the path towards the left disappeared. That's weird!

The voices complimenting the dog become louder, and a little more frequent. A few offer money to buy Pichii. They'll feel something reach over to try to yank at the leash, but they'll see nothing.

Pichii growls softly. Well, the playground's just right there, so it's fine.

NEVER MIND THIS DOG IS MIKU NOW IM NOT EDITING ALL THE PICHIIS ]

[foreversweaterweather]

Ooooh, Miku! I like that--it's cute!

[ Mabel happily begins walking along the path, but things suddenly...don't feel quite as nice and positive. The people, wherever they are, are kind of intimidating now. And when the leash yanks from some invisible tug, she'll huddle herself around Miku and stare around the empty space around them. ]

Hey! Back off--you're scaring her!!! [ IS the dog a her? whatever, i'm gendering her now ]

[steelo]

[ our dog has been gendered

anyway yeah. ichiro doesn't quite puff up at the threats, keeping his eyes focused ont he playground, but he tightens his grip on the end of the leash and keeps them moving forward, putting himself right behind mabel to make sure there's nothing coming up on them. ]

Not interested. Eyes on the prize, Mabel. Miku, c'mon.

[dormheads]

[ Miku lets out another bark, although this time it seems happier? The baby is appreciative.

When they reach the playground, the voice starts again. ]

Time to play! Remember to have lots of fun! It has to be fun.

[foreversweaterweather]

[ Mabel looks up to the sky, as if she'll find the source of the voice there. Now, things sound downright ominous. ]

...is this how all field trips usually go? [ starting out nice and fun before veering into discomfort and tragedy?

Mabel doesn't want to find out what happens if they disobey, so she'll motion for Ichiro to give her the leash. ]

I'll--I'll go play with her on the jungle gym! That'll be fun, right?

[steelo]

... not really.

[ it's sure as shit how his went, so. he watches for a second longer, tense, looking around them, and holds onto the leash for a second, tighter. ]

... you wanna? [ a beat. he's considering waiting. just to see what happens. fingers tightening around the mic in his pocket, he carefully looses the handle of the leash from his wrist and hands it to mabel. ] I'm gonna follow. You go ahead.

[ he does not like this at all!! but we might as well find out what happens. he'll follow mabel to the jungle gym but stands back, a little, keeping his hand in his pocket. ]

[dormheads]

[ Nothing happens at the jungle gym.

Well, at first.

But after a couple of minutes, they'll finally see someone else-- it seems to be someone young dressed normally. However, no matter how much they try, neither Ichiro or Mabel will be able to focus on the person's face. Every time they try to look at it, they'll find themselves glancing away instead.

The person speaks, with a male voice. ]

This is my turf.

[ Are they being jumped by a teen. ]

[foreversweaterweather]

[ Mabel is not impressed. She glares at--well, if not the stranger's face, then his shirt, at least. Or his general presence. She's sitting at the top of the jungle gym and presses Miku close to her in a protective hug. ]

Oh yeah? Your turf for what?

[steelo]

[ someone's about to get buster busted

i mean! not being able to look at his face is obnoxious, but ichiro turns on the intimidation pretty much immediately, shoulders going back and expression shifting into a scowl. this is pretty much what he grew up doing, and... what he still does, even now, when punks come to cause trouble in ikebukuro division.

if he can't look him in the face, he tilts his head up, instead. ]

It's a playground, man. Chill out.

[dormheads]

[ He scoffs, and even if they can't see it, they'll have the impression that he's exaggeratedly rolling his eyes. ]

It's not just a playground. It's my turf. You have to pay a fee to be here.

[ He points at Miku. ]

That.

[foreversweaterweather]

What?! We're not paying you anything, jerk, especially not our dog!

What do you think makes this place your turf anyway?

[steelo]

What the hell? No.

[ mabel's got the right of it! ichiro crosses his arms, and moves to put himself between the jungle gym and this teenager they can't see. ]

Kid, you really do not want to pick a turf war with me. [ us marine copy paste meme but like, rap. ] Step. Off.

[dormheads]

[ He just laughs. It's an echoing sound, and they can suddenly hear whispering around them. It seems like they've drawn a crowd, even if they can't see anyone else. ]

Fine. Let's fight. When you lose, leave the mutt and get lost.

[ He puts his hand in his pocket. ]

[foreversweaterweather]

[ Mabel ties Miku's leash around her wrist and then pulls the grappling hook out of her sweater. she cocks it like it's a gun (whichever type of gun it is that requires cocking, i don't remember) and brandishes it threateningly. ]

Bring it on, chump! We're not afraid of you!

[steelo]

[ MABEL YOUR GRAPPLING HOOK

anyway that hand in the pocket pretty much immediately puts ichiro at attention - he scowls harsher, briefly scanning the nonexistent crowd, then curls his hand around his microphone in his pocket, too, and making sure to make it just as obvious.

he's one of those people that can put off a truly terrifying aura when necessary, and this is one of those times, voice dropping lower when he talks, too. intimidation VERY high. ]

Last chance.

[dormheads]

[ Well.

Speaking of guns, he pulls one out. Of course it's a gun. He aims it at Ichiro, since he seems like the bigger threat than a short girl. ]

Fuck off.

[ He fires. Miku barks. ]

[foreversweaterweather]

[ Mabel shrieks in shock and horror and--half intentionally, half simply because the noise of gunfire startles her--shoots her grappling hook at the guy. Is she hoping to tie him up with it? Is she hoping to bludgeon him with the hook?

She's not really sure--this is pure panic and instinct, folks. ]

[steelo]

[ fuck, this is exactly what he was worried about - ] Get down! [ and he's got exactly enough time to lunge forward in the split second the kid starts pulling out a fucking glock and launches himself at the kid.

he is not, however, faster than a gunshot, but has just enough reaction time that he manages to jerk mostly to the side so a bullet that probably would've caught him right in the artery in his thigh clips the outside of his thigh, instead. pain lances through the spot, immediately, as it tears the fabric of his pants and blood leaks into the fabric, but an object in motion stays in motion so

time to tackle this teenager and wrestle this gun away from him what the fuck ]

[dormheads]

[ So much is happening. At the sight of the grappling hook, he jumps to get out of the way of it-- only to be tackled by Ichiro. He struggles against the older teen, and a few things happen.

The first is that Mabel will notice that it feels like there are people a lot closer to her now, but she won't see anyone. The second is that the intercom voice is back. ]

This isn't a fun park activity. You should get rid of who's interrupting.

[ The teen tries to punch Ichiro. He shows no acknowledgment of the voice. ]

[foreversweaterweather]

Um--um--!

[ she's out in the open air, nothing about her surroundings have changed...so why does it feel so claustrophobic all of a sudden? Like she's being boxed in with bodies.

She retracts her rope back to her grappling hook and leaps off the jungle gym with Miku held close to her chest, trying to get away from the feeling of being closed in.

After a second of panic, she decides to try and run behind the teen, a safe vantage point. and then... ]

Ichiro, move! [ she shoots the hook at him again, this time with far more aim and intentionality. ]

[steelo]

[ this isn't a fun park activity - no SHIT it's not! ichiro doesn't have time for that right now, though, because he's dodging being punched in the face by a child. scrapping out street fights is also kind of his thing, so even though he's now bleeding, he does seem to hold his own well enough - the only limit is the fact that he's also trying not to get shot again. his entire focus is on getting that gun, and as they're struggling on the ground, he hears mabel shout and lets instinct take over.

aka, ichiro rolls to the side and off of the kid, then slams his elbow as hard as he can into the wrist of the hand holding the gun and deeply hopes that grappling hook doesn't catch him in the crossfire - or that this fighty child launches a shot. ]

[dormheads]

[ He fires again.

But the bullet shoots off into the distance because of the interference, and hopefully that won't come to bite them in the ass later! The teen struggles, but it only lasts until he gets hit right in the side with the grappling hook. He shouts out loud in pain.

Miku barks again, more aggressively.

It feels even more crowded, like whatever audience is pressing in. They're shouting now, urging them to keep fighting. They're excited by this. They want to join in. ]