WEEK 5 CYOA: ICHIRO, ICHINOSE, MABEL, MANDRICARDO

[dormheads]

Comments

[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.

[txt]

[She

shares a look with Mandricardo that's just, what the fuck?]

... Ahaha, then are you really sure you only want good things for Hector-chan?

[Hi, baby! You are so dead.]

[dormheads]

Of course I do! It's my job!

[ The light flickers and the intercom makes a static noise. ]

Get off the train in two more stops. Your apartment is down the street on the fifth floor.

[duranduel]

I don't think I wanna follow the words of a known animal hater, even if it's their job...

[And looking at Ichinose.]

Do we disregard the script again?

[txt]

Hmm... I'm curious about our "home," buuuuut... Why not? Let's take a detour.

[What if they try to get off in the next stop instead?]

[dormheads]

[ They'll be able to get off! The station platform is silent except for some coughing nearby from an invisible source. The voice says nothing.

They can go up the stairs back to the street or they can go back onto the train before it leaves. ]

[duranduel]

Okay. Let's go, Hector.

[And honestly, he doesn't want to bother with the train anymore. He is going back up to the street up those stairs, thanks.]

[txt]

[Well.

Up the stairs they go! Ichinose keeps an eye out for anything of note as they exit at the station, and then make their way up the stairs. Hello? Any sudden muggings?]

[dormheads]

[ No sudden muggings.

They walk into what looks like a rather high class part of town. Designer storefronts like the street, the kind of places where the price tags wouldn't be on display. It's still night.

They hear a few grumbling noises when they walk out, and can hear a few footsteps going away from them-- looks like people are getting out of their way. They can hear someone mutter "disgusting."

They can either go left, right, or cross the street. ]

[duranduel]

Yeah, yeah, tell me somethin' I don't know...

[Grumbles Mandricardo, assuming they're talking about him and not poor, sweet baby Hector. Honestly, this is fine. Better less people to deal with.]

Pretty nice place, though... [He's glancing at the windows as they walk by.] I bet our so-called apartment isn't in a place like this.

[txt]

[... Hm. More invisible people? At least show your faces if you're going to be rude, damn.]

It was two more stops, right? It might be somewhere downtown.

[She follows after him, glancing at the storefronts as they walk. Unless Crystal says otherwise, I guess they're (throws dart) going right.]

Though, I'm surprised this place is nice by your standards. You're a legendary king, after all.

[dormheads]

[ They walk by a section of jewelry stores. Hector just watches as they go by, her eyes following along.

It's a quiet walk, until someone taps on Mandi's shoulder. When they look, it's a woman dressed in a fur coat. Weirdly enough, they can't seem to see her face-- whenever they try to look, they'll find their gaze glancing elsewhere instead. ]

Excuse me. You don't belong here.

[duranduel]

Well, this is the modern era. And bein' a king had its perks in terms of wealth, but that wasn't what mattered to me. Even when I left the kingdom to become an adventurer, I didn't leave with much besides the clothes on my back.

[And...oh. Huh. He's trying to peer up at the lady, but can't, and it's disorienting.]

Um, sorry? We're lost. We'll be out of your way, soon...

[txt]

Huh... I see. So even in the past, you—

[Oh. Wait. Guess they're getting interrupted by this bougie ass lady? Ichinose furrows her brow, touching her forehead as if dizzy when she tries and fails to take a good look at her.

Though... Shaking her head, she adds:]

Don't mind us. We were just leaving.

[And then she's tugging Mandricardo along, trying to walk away from the woman.]

[dormheads]

Good. Disgraces...

[ They manage to walk a few feet before a rock is thrown at Hector's cage.

Rude. ]

[duranduel]

...

[Oh, that is bad. Mandricardo's anger flares....but he just hugs Hector more tightly to himself, protectively.]

Let's get out of this place. You deserve somewhere better.