WEEK 5 CYOA: ICHIRO, ICHINOSE, MABEL, MANDRICARDO

[dormheads]

Comments

[duranduel]

Really? Okay...if you insist...

[And he looks at the bat for a little bit, thinking.]

Hector.

[Please do NOT let him name this bat after his Iliad fanboy crush, Ichinose.]

[And wow! This is...a weird train? Mandricardo glances around, feeling the chills up his spine from all these weird invisible people.]

Um, hold some stuff?

[Which he still has from the pet store - he wants a hand free to grasp at the railing above. He'll just stand, thank you!]

[txt]

[She hums, giving their baby a considering look.]

Hector, huh? [Taking some things from Mandricardo's hands, still thinking. Until, suddenly—] Yes, that's perfect! Long live Hector-chan!

[Ichinose has now decided this is a lady bat named Hector. She balances the items in the crook of her left elbow, reaching for the railing with her right hand.]

Maybe we should have grabbed some bags on our way out...

[dormheads]

[ The train is off!

As it moves along its path, the train starts to feel more crowded, despite there being room before. They'll feel invisible bodies brush against them, either softly like it was an accident, or more hard, as if they're purposely being knocked into. No one speaks.

The same voice from before speaks from the train's intercom. ]

Where are you going?

[duranduel]

Hector...chan?

[Okay! Sure. Lady bats can be named Hector. He will not imagine a lady version of Hector from the Iliad, no sir.]

[And wow, these people are rude? Mandricardo winces at the touches, more in pain than discomfort, as he tries to keep the bat close. At the intercom, he hisses at Ichinose.]

W...what do we say?

[txt]

[I hope Lady Hector is a MILF.

Ichinose inches closer to the two of them, just in case things suddenly get dicey.]

Who knows? Let's say we're clumsy and got on the wrong train while on our way home. It's a surprise twist in Hector-chan's coming of age story that's sure to keep audiences on the edge of their seats.

[dormheads]

[ The voice waits for them to stop talking amongst themselves.

Well. Only for a moment. ]

Get off at the next stop and take the right train.

[duranduel]

[Mandricardo is getting the rising anxiety of Doing Things Wrongly And Getting In Trouble For It. He'll look up at the ceiling where he thinks the voice is coming from.]

And what happens if we don't? We don't even know where home is? You haven't even told us that! We're just going to get lost, anyways-!

[txt]

Whoa— [Mandi?? You good???] Come on, take it easy...

[Ichinose is just vibing with her void as always, honestly... Though she glances up at the ceiling.]

He's got a point, though. Why is it important that we take the L train? Won't you tell us what comes next?

[dormheads]

No.

[ The voice sounds a little annoyed. ]

Just take the train. I want you to go there.

[ The train feels even more crowded. ]

[duranduel]

I-I don't like bein' in this kinda space, Ichinose...

[He's a nervous boy! He can't help it! And wow, this intercom.]

Hey, if you won't explain, we just won't go!

[He's digging in his heels with this.]

[txt]

You can hide behind me if you want.

[Use her as a social shield... or something. Either way, she tilts her head at the voice.]

You know, we're more likely to give you what you want if you cooperate with us too. You're sure you can't take a minute to explain?

[dormheads]

[ The voice just continues to be annoyed. ]

It's late. That's the time people go home. It's been a long day. Aren't you tired?

[ The train starts to slow as it reaches the next stop. ]

[duranduel]

Not...really? Besides, like I said, you haven't told us where home is...

[And yeah, he's shuffling a bit behind Ichinose.]

Who even are you, anyways?

[txt]

Is our home at least nice? Hector-chan deserves only the best.

[Well... She's not that eager to get murdered by a disembodied voice just yet. If Mandricardo agrees, she will get off the train at this stop to find the L train.]

Do you have a name?

[dormheads]

I just work at the pet store!

[ The voice is back to being chipper, the kind of tone you'd expect from a customer service employee. ]

And of course it's nice. I just want to make sure you give Hector a good life.

[ The bat stretches her bat wings, since Ichinose assigned her as girl. ]

[duranduel]

Don't you find it...kind of creepy that a pet store employee is tellin' us where to go? Are you okay? I mean...

[He makes a gesture with his chin in a "like, look at this?" gesture since both his hands are occupied.]

We'll make sure we give Hector a good life. Hey, if your job is makin' you do this, maybe you should quit? That isn't healthy...

[(mandi voice) JOIN A UNION???]

[txt]

Oh, yeah. It's totally creepy. [Placidly, like it doesn't bother her at all.] But what can you do? That's just the nature of this world.

[She is absolutely ready for things to get worse. Wowie!

But back to the intercom:]

Hmm... Well, in that case, why don't we come up with an nickname for you? Calling you the pet shop employee over and over again's bound to get awkward.

[dormheads]

I can't quit. Why would I quit?

[ Like the idea of it is ridiculous. ]

... you may call me anything you'd like!

[ The train pulls to a stop. ]

[duranduel]

You can't, or you won't? Do you even know...? That's kind of worrying...

[CONCERN.JPG]

Um, alright. [And just turning to the exit.] Hey, Ichinose, think of a name for this stalker.

[Just outright says it.]

[txt]

What if you found a similar job with a higher salary, better benefits, and a healthy organizational culture? Isn't that enticing?

[But, hm... She turns to the exit as well, tapping her chin.]

Let's see... We don't know anything about you. What about Tanaka-san?

[dormheads]

Tanaka... okay. I'm Tanaka. And no, I don't care about that.

[ There's a pause. ]

Remember to take the L train.

[duranduel]

What...do you care about? Hector-chan? You need to just get a Hector of your own. Stop obsessing over other people's pets. You could just adopt...

[He is tired and he is very done, already! And he's just going to hope that this train will allow them to exit because he's walking out! Bye, train! And if that happens, he'll turn to the other with a sigh.]

How about we leave this subway, Ichinose?

[txt]

Right, right...!

[L train time... Truly glad we're 30+ comments in and only now following the plot. Is the train going to crash? Boy, I hope so. But she's nodding at Mandi like, yeah?? Let's go, please.]

Have you ever had any pets of your own? You must really like animals if you're so attached to your job, is that right...?

[dormheads]

[ The L train is... just as dirty as the other train. Nothing gets sanitized. This train, however, is much less crowded. Hector is fully awake. She just watches them now. ]

Oh, I hate animals! They're disgusting.

[ The train starts moving. ]

[duranduel]

[WHAT]

T-Then why the HELL are you workin' at a pet store? Are you a masochist? Is that what's happenin'?

[CLUTCHING ONTO THE RAILING AND GOING AHHHHHHHHHH and nodding at hector-chan hi baby :3]

...Please get out of this job and go find a new one, Tanaka. And stop being a stalker. Don't know why I have to say that.