ABC Chapter 1

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<<set $chapter to "Chapter One">> <h1>Chapter One</h1> The man that stands before you has an easy smile on his handsome face, a smile that many have probably swooned over, that says, //You can trust me, I'd never hurt a fly!//, and encourages you to let down your guard. It's a blinding white smile in stark contrast to the dark red blood all over his face. “Freeze! You're under arrest!” You yell, your standard issued pistol and flashlight trained on the serial killer you had been chasing after for months. “Drop the knife and put your hands in the air //now//!” His grin widens, the muscles of his mouth stretching until it looks unnatural. The sight sends a shiver down your spine. “Detective! I was wondering when you would find me.” He speaks as if he was waiting for a friend at a cafe, not standing in the middle of a park with a meat cleaver in his hand and another mutilated body at his feet. //Another person you failed to save.// “Drop your weapon and put your hands where we can see them!” The voice of your partner, Lieutenant Parker Douglass, quickly banishes any thoughts or feelings you may have from the forefront of your mind for now as they come up from behind you to stand on your right, their firearm and flashlight similarly aimed at the man. “Oh? The lieutenant’s here?” The Asterales Cleaver still seems completely at ease despite being outnumbered, though you could detect a slight inflection in his voice that tells you he was actually a little unnerved. It looks like he was expecting you to be alone when you finally confronted him. “Well, I suppose leaving behind //one// witness wouldn’t be too bad.” He gives you a wink before swiftly throwing the meat cleaver, its trajectory aimed straight at Lieutenant Douglass’s head. “//No!//” *[[You shove your partner out of the way.|Ch 1.02][$savepartner to "strength", $strength to $strength + 10]] *[[You shoot the meat cleaver out of the air.|Ch 1.02][$savepartner to "agility", $agility to $agility + 10]]

<<if $savepartner is "strength">><<if settings.notifications>><<notify 3s>>+ Strength<</notify>><</if>>You quickly slam your body into the lieutenant’s, sending both of you tumbling to the ground and out of the cleaver’s way. You hear a distant //thud// and glance over in the direction of the sound to find the meat cleaver firmly embedded in the torso of the mermaid fountain of Asterales Park, her marble features completely unfazed by the protrusion as she continues to pour water out from her jug. A groan beneath you draws your attention back to the task at hand and you quickly scramble to your feet. “Sorry,” You give your partner a sheepish look as you hold out a hand to them. “You okay?” “Yeah, thanks,” Lieutenant Douglass grunts as you pull them up. “Tail bone’s probably bruised, but I’ll be - shit! He’s gone!”<<elseif $savepartner is "agility">><<if settings.notifications>><<notify 3s>>+ Agility<</notify>><</if>>Without any hesitation, you aim your gun at the cleaver as it spins in the air and fire. The bullet knocks the knife off-course, whirling just past the lieutenant’s ear and embedding itself some distance away in the torso of the mermaid fountain of Asterales Park, her marble features completely unfazed by the protrusion as she continues to pour water out from her jug. You immediately glance over at Lieutenant Douglass as they release a shaky sigh of relief. “You okay?” “Yeah, thanks,” they reply with a reassuring smile, their voice containing an understandable tremble. When they look back at the killer, their smile is immediately dropped and replaced with a combined look of anger and frustration. “Shit! He’s gone!”<</if>> You whip your head around and find that the Asterales Cleaver is indeed gone. A sharp curse escapes your lips as you and your partner holster your firearms before approaching the victim with caution. You notice a few drops of blood right in the spot where the killer had been standing. “Look, over here.” The lieutenant sees your findings. “Guess I didn’t miss my shot.” You hadn’t even noticed they had fired their gun at the killer in the midst of what was happening. You sweep your flashlight over the grass until you can faintly make out more drops of blood, a trail heading to the eastern park gate. “He couldn’t have made it too far, we can still catch up.” You then notice a faint wheezing coming from the body. Your eyes widen when they fall upon the weak rise and fall of the victim’s chest. The lieutenant sucks in a sharp breath. “Holy shit, they’re still alive.” “Stay with them, lieutenant,” you tell them, already beginning to break into a sprint. “I’ll catch that bastard.” “Hey!” You barely hear your partner yell out your name as you give chase. You are determined to make this the last time he escapes your grasp. <span class="next"><<button "Next" "Ch 1.03">><</button>></span> /*[[Continue|Ch 1.03]]*/

You follow the blood trail that leads out of the park and into the eastern suburbs of Asterales, a city where its lights illuminate the night sky like twinkling stars. Asterales spans about forty thousand acres and has a population of nearly three million citizens. During the day, the entire city is bustling with life; the honking of cars in the middle of traffic rise above the rooftops in the busy mornings and the afternoons are filled with the laughter of children as they are released from their hellish prison called ‘school’. But there are always two sides of a coin. Once the sun dips below the horizon, the city becomes the devil’s playground; rare are the nights when not a single police siren is heard. Most of the time, crimes in the city occur in the form of a delinquent picking the pockets of unsuspecting tourists or an exhausted office worker falling asleep behind the wheel in the middle of a traffic jam and accidentally ramming into the bumper of the car in front of them. Sometimes, an armed group will attempt to rob money from a bank or an experienced hacker will try to unleash an advanced data-collecting virus on the police database. Other times, the police receive reports of violent arguments or strange movements from concerned neighbors that end up uncovering cases of battery and assault or illegal possession of drugs. Occasionally, officers on duty stumble upon a person with no pulse covered in lacerations or bruises in some dark alley, which is where you come in as a homicide detective. Your days consist of long hours examining crime scenes, conducting interviews, and collecting evidence while your nights are often spent on stakeouts or chasing down suspects, like what you were doing right now. But it was all worth it to you; after all, you became a detective to bring justice for the victim and closure for those who cared about them, as a detective once did for you and your brother when your parents were murdered many years ago. <span class="next"><<button "Next" "Ch 1.04">><</button>></span> /*[[Continue|Ch 1.04]]*/

You are brought out of your thoughts when you finally catch sight of your target, clutching his bicep with blood seeping through his fingers. You draw your gun as you continue your pursuit. “Stop! You’re under arrest!” He risks a glance back at you and smirks. “Sorry, Detective, but I’d rather we keep the roleplay in the bedroom.” You ignore his remark and pause, taking a moment to focus your aim on his leg before you pull the trigger. He cries out in pain when the bullet finds it mark and he topples to the ground. You are immediately upon him, wrestling his arms back to bind his wrists with your handcuffs before he can slip through your fingers again. In spite of his injuries and the situation he finds himself in, your captive laughs. “Ooh, at least take me out to dinner first, Detective,” he practically purrs, making your skin crawl at the obvious flirtation. “Shut up,” You snap as you haul him up to his feet. “Atlas Miller, you are under arrest for suspicion of murder. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. Do you understand the rights I have just read to you?” He gives you a coy smile from over his shoulder. “Oh, Detective, I couldn't hear you over the noise of the city. Perhaps you could lean over and read me my rights again?” You push him, making him stumble forward. “Start walking.” <span class="next"><<button "Next" "Ch 1.05">><</button>></span> /*[[Continue|Ch 1.05]]*/

You make your way back to the park with the Asterales Cleaver in tow. Being so close to him, you can smell the alcohol upon his breath as he talks. “How does it feel, Detective? To be the <<cycle "$person" autoselect>> <<option "man">> <<option "woman">> <<option "person">> <</cycle>> who caught the Asterales Cleaver?” You roll your eyes and continue on in silence, which doesn’t deter him in the slightest. In fact, your silence only seems to encourage him. “It’s such a beautiful night, Detective. I’m honored you chose to spend it with me.” “I’ve never seen a flower like that before, have you, Detective?” “Did you know, Detective, that the cobblestone road in the park was made before the park itself?” He goes on and on with his obnoxious remarks until you finally arrive at the scene of the crime, where you find paramedics loading the victim into the back of an ambulance. You glance at Miller to see his reaction and to your surprise, he actually seems… relieved? He catches your confused look. “I wasn’t supposed to kill her,” he confesses with a soft voice. “I’m glad she’s alive.” “Even though she’ll be able to definitely identify you and you’ll spend the rest of your life in prison?” He chuckles bitterly. “None of it matters anyway,” he murmurs. You furrow your brows at his words as a pair of police officers rush over to you. “What do you mean by that?” He jolts at your question. It seems he hadn’t meant to say it out loud or for you to hear him. “Nothing you need to concern yourself with, Detective.” He gives you a practiced smile as the officers lead him away. You have half a mind to press him about his odd comment when you hear someone call out your name. *[['“Avery!”'|Ch 1.06][$firstname to "Avery"]] *[['“Bailey!”'|Ch 1.06][$firstname to "Bailey"]] *[['“Charlie!”'|Ch 1.06][$firstname to "Charlie"]] *[['“Dakota!”'|Ch 1.06][$firstname to "Dakota"]] *[['“Jordan!”'|Ch 1.06][$firstname to "Jordan"]] *[['“Morgan!”'|Ch 1.06][$firstname to "Morgan"]] *[['“Riley!”'|Ch 1.06][$firstname to "Riley"]] *[[You heard a different name being called.|Input firstname]]

<<nobr>><<if $person is "man">> <<set $gender to "Male"; $sibling to "brother">> <<elseif $person is "woman">> <<set $gender to "Female"; $sibling to "sister">> <<else>> <<set $gender to "Nonbinary";$sibling to "sibling">> <</if>><</nobr>>You turn around and almost fall to the ground when Lieutenant Douglass tackles you in a fierce hug. “There you are! Are you okay?” they ask as they frantically look you over for any injuries. “Yeah, I'm alright.” Something behind you catches their attention, causing their dark brown eyes to widen. “Holy shit, you got him?” “Yeah,” you reply as you turn to see Miller in the back of a police cruiser, staring out the window with a forlorn frown. “He ran about three blocks ‘til I shot him in the leg.” “Damn,” they glance back at you, concern evident in their frown. “Are you sure you're okay, kid?” *[[“Yes, I’m fine,” you assured them.|Ch 1.07]] *[[“Yes, I’m fine,” you lied.|Ch 1.07]] *[[“Honestly? No, I’m not,” you confessed.|Ch 1.07]] *[[“Dunno,” you say a bit numbly. “I think it hasn’t hit me yet.”|Ch 1.07]]

<div id="centered">What was the name you heard being called? <<textbox "$firstname" "Type here...">></div> <span class="next"><<button "Next" "Ch 1.06">><</button>></span> /*[[Ch 1.06]]*/

Their gaze turns soft at your answer. “Look, how about you go home right after the debriefing? I can get started on the paperwork, then we can finish it up tomorrow.” On one hand, you feel bad about going home before your partner but on the other, you do feel as though you could collapse at any moment. “Are you sure?” you ask sheepishly. They give you a reassuring nod. “Yeah. Besides, I'm not the one who just ran a marathon.” You let out a relieved sigh. “Thanks, Lieutenant.” “Don't sweat it. We got this guy thanks to you, after all,” they say with a proud grin. *[[“You and your natural charms.”|Ch 1.08][$contribution to "persuasion", $persuasion to $persuasion + 10]] *[[“You and your sharp eyes.”|Ch 1.08][$contribution to "perception", $perception to $perception + 10]]

<<if $contribution is "persuasion">><<if settings.notifications>><<notify 3s>>+ Persuasion<</notify>><</if>>You give them a tired smile as you recall the ordeal you had just gone through before you arrived at the park in time to confront the Asterales Cleaver. You had been interrogating a man witnesses had identified at the scene of the last crime who had vehemently denied being present in spite of the evidence proving otherwise until he finally broke down and confessed that he had been there to meet with his lover, but he saw who the killer was. From his description of the suspect, you were able to get a composite sketch, thanks to the forensics team, and identified the man as Atlas Miller. Thankfully, you had enough time to run facial recognition on the traffic camera footage and locate him just as he was entering the park gates with the victim.<<elseif $contribution is "perception">><<if settings.notifications>><<notify 3s>>+ Perception<</notify>><</if>>You give them a tired smile as you recall the ordeal you had just gone through before you arrived at the park in time to confront the Asterales Cleaver. You had been poring over the evidence you had gathered so far, looking for any clue as to where the killer might strike next. You were squinting at the photos of the different crime scenes when you noticed a cake decorated with mermaids in a shop in the background of one of the pictures and a movie poster featuring a siren in another. A quick analysis of each location at the time of the murders revealed that there was something related to mermaids nearby in each case. After checking each location with any sort of mermaid memorabilia in the city, you quickly deduced that the place he would have most likely chosen for tonight was the mermaid fountain at the park.<</if>> The lieutenant gently pats your shoulder and gestures in the direction of your car, which you had left outside the park gates. “C’mon, the Captain’s already waiting for us to get back for the debriefing.” <span class="next"><<button "Next" "Character Customization">><</button>></span> /*[[Character Customization]]*/

Three hours later, you find yourself behind the wheel of your car again. You had just finished the critical incident stress debriefing, where the events of the evening were thoroughly discussed among you, Lieutenant Douglass, and two mental health professionals to reduce the traumatic stress either of you may have developed as a result of the violence you had experienced. As you take a few moments to reflect on the last few hours, you chance a glance at yourself in the rearview mirror and wince at what you see. Your <<listbox "$eyecolor" autoselect>> <<option "dark brown">> <<option "light brown">> <<option "dark blue">> <<option "light blue">> <<option "dark green">> <<option "light green">> <<option "gray">> <<option "hazel">> <<option "amber">> <</listbox>> eyes are bloodshot after being awake for almost twenty-four hours, the bags beneath them prominent even in the low lighting from the parking lamp that also lets you see just how dull your <<listbox "$skincolor" autoselect>> <<option "porcelain">> <<option "fair">> <<option "tan">> <<option "bronze">> <<option "ebony">> <<option "umber">> <</listbox>> complexion has become. You run a hand over your <<cycle "$hairlength" autoselect>> <<option "smooth head with a tired sigh" "smooth">> <<option "buzz cut with a tired sigh" "buzzed">> <<option "ear-length hair, the unkempt tresses adding to your frazzled look" "ear-length">> <<option "chin-length hair, the unkempt tresses adding to your frazzled look" "chin-length">> <<option "shoulder-length hair, the unkempt tresses adding to your frazzled look" "shoulder-length">> <<option "chest-length hair, the unkempt tresses adding to your frazzled look" "chest-length">> <<option "waist-length hair, the unkempt tresses adding to your frazzled look" "waist-length">> <</cycle>>. No wonder the lieutenant kept asking if you were alright. You looked like a mess. <span class="next"><<button "Next" "Ch 1.09">><</button>></span> /*[[Continue|Ch 1.09]]*/

You look away from the mirror and turn on the radio before backing out of the parking space, belatedly realizing that the station you were tuned into was talking about the events that had just transpired a few hours ago. You turned up the volume to hear the news anchor more clearly. “We are reporting to you live from Asterales City Hospital, where the sole survivor of the Asterales City Cleaver is currently under the care of the hospital’s best doctors after suffering from severe disfigurement. We have been informed that though she had lost a significant amount of blood before being brought to the hospital, she will pull through. The survivor, identified as Ms. Valerie Jones, is alive thanks to the heroic actions of Lieutenant Parker Douglass and their partner… *<<link '“…Detective $firstname Smith.”' "Ch 1.10">> <<set $lastname to "Smith">><</link>> *<<link '“…Detective $firstname Hernandez.”' "Ch 1.10">> <<set $lastname to "Hernandez">> <</link>> *<<link '“…Detective $firstname Garcia.”' "Ch 1.10">> <<set $lastname to "Garcia">> <</link>> *<<link '“…Detective $firstname Ruiz.”' "Ch 1.10">> <<set $lastname to "Ruiz">> <</link>> *<<link '“…Detective $firstname Ali.”' "Ch 1.10">> <<set $lastname to "Ali">> <</link>> *<<link '“…Detective $firstname Lee.”' "Ch 1.10">> <<set $lastname to "Lee">> <</link>> *[[The reporter called you by a different last name.|Input lastname]] /*[[Ch 1.10]]*/

<div id="centered">What is your last name, Detective? <<textbox "$lastname" "Type here...">></div> <span class="next"><<button "Next" "Ch 1.10">><</button>></span> /*[[Ch 1.10]]*/

<<if settings.notifications>><<notify 3s>>Saved!<</notify>><</if>><<nobr>> “The pair had arrived on the scene of the crime after <<if $contribution is "persuasion">>receiving information from a witness<<elseif $contribution is "perception">>figuring out the killer’s pattern<</if>>, where they confronted the suspect: Atlas Miller, Jr., the twenty-seven year old son of a biology teacher from Lobelia City High School and a team leader from Bellwether Technologies’ marketing department. After a brief confrontation with Miller where he threw his cleaver at Lieutenant Douglass and Detective $lastname <<if $savepartner is "strength">>valiantly pushed their partner out of harm’s way<<elseif $savepartner is "agility">>deftly shot the cleaver mid-air<</if>>, the detective was able to swiftly apprehend the Asterales Cleaver in the eastern suburbs of the city. Miller is now being detained in the headquarters of the Asterales Police Department.<</nobr>> “The victim’s parents are currently inside the intensive care unit with their daughter and have expressed their heartfelt gratitude for Asterales’s very own dynamic duo.” The news anchor is replaced with the voice of a woman, presumably Mrs. Jones, who sniffles as she speaks. In the background, you hear several footsteps rush past, accompanied by the sound of rolling wheels and the beeping of a heart rate monitor. “We’re just so thankful to Lieutenant Douglass and Detective $lastname for saving our baby girl. We owe them our lives.” The voice of the news anchor returns to continue his report. “The Asterales Cleaver is believed to be responsible for the deaths of ten men over the past five years. These men were having extramarital affairs with young women. He talks to the young women, then after a month he comes into contact with them again. He then kills the men at midnight. This is the first time that the Cleaver has broken his pattern and attempted to kill the young woman he came into contact with. The investigative team assigned to the case is still trying to determine what exactly caused this sudden change. Stay tuned to receive the latest updates on the investigation.” As the advertisement for the latest whitening toothpaste from a famous brand begins to play, you change the radio station and immediately recognize the tune playing as the latest song written by your best friend… *[[Matthew Archer, though you know him as Matty.|Ch 1.11][$ma_name to "Matthew", $ma_nn to "Matty", $ma_gender to "Male", $ma_person to "man", $ma_HeShe to "He", $ma_heshe to "he", $ma_HimHer to "Him", $ma_himher to "him", $ma_HisHer to "His", $ma_hisher to "his", $ma_HisHers to "His", $ma_hishers to "his", $ma_Himself to "Himself", $ma_himself to "himself"]] *[[Mathena Archer, though you know her as Mattie.|Ch 1.11][$ma_name to "Mathena", $ma_nn to "Mattie", $ma_gender to "Female", $ma_person to "woman", $ma_HeShe to "She", $ma_heshe to "she", $ma_HimHer to "Her", $ma_himher to "her", $ma_HisHer to "Her", $ma_hisher to "her", $ma_HisHers to "Hers", $ma_hishers to "hers", $ma_Himself to "Herself", $ma_himself to "herself"]]

<<if settings.notifications>><<notify 3s>>$ma_nn's Profile Unlocked!<</notify>><</if>>$ma_nn has been your best friend since the two of you met in fourth grade. The memory of the moment has gotten a bit blurry over time--it's been a decade and a half after all--but you still remember the way $ma_heshe smiled as $ma_heshe introduced $ma_himself when $ma_heshe sat down in the empty seat beside you. Ever since that day, the two of you have been inseparable, engaging in shenanigans that almost always got you into trouble with both sets of parents, but the sermons from $ma_nn’s parents were always especially harsh. Mr. and Mrs. Archer were very strict people who set high expectations for $ma_himher in $ma_hisher academics and didn’t appreciate $ma_nn’s passion for music, saying that it was a waste of time and money. But whatever support $ma_nn could never receive from $ma_hisher parents, $ma_heshe found it in you and your brother, which was why $ma_heshe always spent all of $ma_hisher free time at your house. Your brother was so happy to help $ma_himher achieve $ma_hisher dream that he often lent $ma_nn his guitar and provided helpful tips and pointers when he was around. Eventually, he gave $ma_nn his old guitar (which was still in good condition after five years in his possession) as a graduation gift, and, not to be outdone by your brother, you also got $ma_himher a personalized capo. $ma_nn has cherished both gifts ever since and used them in the videos and recordings of $ma_hisher original songs $ma_heshe had posted online, which launched $ma_himher to internet fame before either of you even entered Asterales University for college. And so, after nine years, three self-released albums, and nearly half a billion fans, you can say without a doubt that $ma_nn is talented and hard-working enough to make $ma_hisher dreams come true. The two of you have been friends for about a decade and a half now… <<liveblock>>*[[... and you wouldn't have it any other way.|Ch 1.12]] *[[... but you often wished you could be something more.|Ch 1.12][$ma_rom to $ma_rom + 1]] $flirt_label<</liveblock>>

<<if $ma_rom gt 0>>You knew that you had feelings for your best friend for a while now, though you couldn’t act on them. Pursuing your dream of becoming a detective took up almost all of your waking hours over the last decade, to the point that $ma_nn had to drag you away from whatever you were working on for you to take a break from time to time. You knew it would have been unfair to $ma_nn if you had gotten together when you couldn’t even give $ma_himher the time of day, and yet your heart continues to ache when $ma_heshe gives you that soft smile of $ma_hishers that feels like it’s meant only for you.<<else>>$ma_nn is the salt to your pepper, the peanut butter to your jelly, the rock to your roll. Your brother has often teased both of you over how close you are, but you had always brushed off his teasing with a laugh. Friendships like yours are as rare and precious as a diamond, and you have been perfectly content with the way things have been between the two of you since you met all those years ago.<</if>> As you hear $ma_nn strum the last chord of $ma_hisher song on the radio, you glance at the digital clock on your dashboard. 23:13. A sigh escapes you as you think about the fuss your brother will make once you finally get home and call now that it’s //way// past the time you were supposed to check in with him. Even after nine years, he still frets about you as much as he did when you still lived under the same roof. Sometimes, you think that “Mother Hen” is a more fitting name for him than… *[[Josh.|Ch 1.13][$brother to "Josh"]] *[[Liam.|Ch 1.13][$brother to "Liam"]] *[[Noah.|Ch 1.13][$brother to "Noah"]] *[[Diego.|Ch 1.13][$brother to "Diego"]] *[[Santiago.|Ch 1.13][$brother to "Santiago"]] *[[Juan.|Ch 1.13][$brother to "Juan"]] *[[Your brother had a different name.|Input brother]]

You and your older brother had always been close when you were children. You were often told of how he was so excited to have a little $sibling when your parents broke the news and how he gazed upon you with such love and adoration when he saw you for the first time in your mother’s arms and swaddled in blankets. He spoiled you rotten in those early years of your life; if you wanted another cookie he would give you one of his when your parents weren’t looking, if you wanted to play games with him he would drop whatever he was doing and be your enthusiastic playmate until your mother scolded him for abandoning his task, and if you wanted a pet he would give your parents an entire powerpoint presentation to convince them to get said pet then save up for it so he could buy it for you himself. Such idyllic moments were never meant to last forever, but the end of your childlike innocence came much sooner for the two of you than it was supposed to when your parents died. A man wanted for murder had fled Asterales City and made his way to your home town of Archersvale, where he took hostage the students, faculty, and staff of Archersvale High. Your father was a teacher at the high school and your mother was the first responder to the scene as she was already on her way to visit your father. Both of them gave their lives protecting the students when the suspect threatened to kill them all if he wasn’t given a substantial amount of money within an hour. Their sacrifice bought enough time for reinforcements to arrive, and a detective from Asterales was able to apprehend the man before anyone else got hurt. <span class="next"><<button "Next" "Ch 1.14">><</button>></span> /*[[Ch 1.14]]*/

<div id="centered">What is your brother's name, Detective? <<textbox "$brother" "Type here...">></div> <span class="next"><<button "Next" "Ch 1.13">><</button>></span> /*[[Ch 1.13]]*/

Their deaths hit both of you hard. It was a given, considering how tight-knit your family was. $brother did his best to stay strong for you since you were only thirteen at the time, comforting you every time you burst into tears without getting overwhelmed by his emotions, but every night for a month you would hear his suppressed sobs through the wall that separated your rooms as you lie awake in your bed, unable to sleep. In the first few months after the tragedy, he was very anxious about letting you out of his sight, especially after being appointed as your legal guardian as stipulated in your parents’ wills when he was only nineteen years old himself. His best friend, Jamie Carlisle-Arden, let it slip that $brother would often rush out of the room as soon as his last class ended to pick you up from school and drive you straight home; in fact, there was one time when he was in such a rush to drive to your location that he very nearly got into a serious accident involving a fuel tanker. After a lengthy but much needed conversation with your brother, $brother promised that he would do his best to be more careful and less overbearing. For the next few years, he worked multiple part-time jobs to support you both while keeping his grades high enough to maintain his scholarship. As soon as he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, he was offered employment at the Archersvale Post (//The most reliable newspaper for miles around!//), where he often submitted column articles while he was still studying. Though it wasn’t the most profitable job in your small town, the income he received from it together with the money left by your parents was enough to get you through high school until your graduation, which was the last time you saw $brother in person. <span class="next"><<button "Next" "Ch 1.15">><</button>></span> /*[[Ch 1.15]]*/

/*custom widgets go in here*/ <<widget "are">><<switch $plural>><<case true>>are<<case false>>is<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "were">><<switch $plural>><<case true>>were<<case false>>was<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "s">><<switch $plural>><<case true>><<case false>>s<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "es">><<switch $plural>><<case true>><<case false>>es<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "re">><<switch $plural>><<case true>>re<<case false>>s<</switch>><</widget>> <<widget "ve">><<switch $plural>><<case true>>ve<<case false>>s<</switch>><</widget>>

/* define your story variables here */ <<set $ma_name to "M"; $dc_name to "D">> <<set $persuasion to 20; $agility to 20; $perception to 20; $strength to 20>> <<set $ma_rom to 0, $dc_rom to 0>> <<set $firstname to "Unknown"; $lastname to "Unknown"; $gender to "Unknown"; $eyecolor to "Unknown"; $skincolor to "Unknown"; $hairlength to "Unknown"; $haircolor to "Unknown"; $hairtexture to "Unknown">>

<span class="title">A Bouquet of Chrysanthemums</span> <span class="author">by <<link 'alby'>><<script>>window.open('https://abouquetofchrysanthemums.tumblr.com/')<</script>><</link>></span>

<<nobr>> <li>[[Profile]]</li> <li>[[Teammates]]</li> <<if visited("Chapter 2") is 1>><li>[[Investigation]]</li><</if>> <li><<link "Credits">><<script>> Dialog.setup("Credits"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("credits").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>><</link>></li> <</nobr>>

<h1>Detective $firstname $lastname</h1> <h2>Appearance</h2> Gender: $gender Eye Color: $eyecolor Skin Color: $skincolor Hair Length: $hairlength Hair Color: $haircolor Hair Texture: $hairtexture <h2>Stats</h2> <div class="stat-bar-group"> <div class="stat-bar-container"> <div class="stat-bar-overlay-left">Persuasion $persuasion%</div> <div class="stat-bar" id="persuasion-stat"></div> <div class="stat-bar"><progress @value="$persuasion" max="100"></progress></div> </div></div> <div class="stat-bar-group"> <div class="stat-bar-container"> <div class="stat-bar-overlay-left">Agility $agility%</div> <div class="stat-bar" id="agility-stat"></div> <div class="stat-bar"><progress @value="$agility" max="100"></progress></div> </div></div> <div class="stat-bar-group"> <div class="stat-bar-container"> <div class="stat-bar-overlay-left">Perception $perception%</div> <div class="stat-bar"><progress @value="$perception" max="100"></progress></div> <div class="stat-bar" id="perception-stat"></div> </div></div> <div class="stat-bar-group"> <div class="stat-bar-container"> <div class="stat-bar-overlay-left">Strength $strength%</div> <div class="stat-bar"><progress @value="$strength" max="100"></progress></div> <div class="stat-bar" id="strength-stat"></div> </div></div> <span class="next"><<button "Return" $return>><</button>></span>

<h1>The Team</h1> <<if $ma_name is "M">>!!$ma_name Archer <<else>><h2>$ma_name "$ma_nn" Archer</h2> As fiery and passionate as $ma_hisher red hair, $ma_nn has been your best friend since the two of you met in middle school. People always said it was like the two of you were joined at the hip, and they weren’t wrong; it’s been a case of “where one goes, the other follows” for as long as you could remember. But being practically joined at the hip wasn't the only reason why $ma_heshe joined you in moving to the big city; $ma_heshe was also an up-and-coming singer-songwriter, launched to fame with the help of the internet. Unfortunately, $ma_hisher family staunchly believed $ma_heshe just had $ma_hisher head in the clouds and wouldn't get anywhere in life, which meant that $ma_heshe had spent many nights over at your house. Well, after nine years, three self-released albums, and nearly a million fans, you can say without a doubt that $ma_nn is talented and hard-working enough to make $ma_hisher dreams come true. <<nobr>> <<if $ma_nn is "Matty">> Matty has short red hair with such unruly curls that he uses a bandana when he writes songs at home, a fact he has shared with a photo on his social media; a minute after posting the pic, he became a trending topic online which lasted for weeks. His eyes are a vibrant shade of green that light up when he’s having the time of his life and dull when he feels his world crumbling around him. His skin is fair and dotted with freckles, especially across his nose, from hours of performing under the sun in Archersvale Park. He also has a lean physique that he maintains by jogging in the wee hours of the morning but often hides away with his signature hoodies. <<elseif $ma_nn is "Mattie">> Mattie often keeps her long red hair out of her face in a variety of ways, which are each tied to what she'll be doing in the near future; her default hairstyle is the simple yet effective ponytail for any regular activity like grocery shopping, but she braids her hair when she goes out to perform at a gig, and when she puts it up in a bun, you know that she's going to spend the next few hours writing lyrics and humming a string of tunes to herself. Her eyes are a vibrant shade of green that light up when she’s having the time of her life and dull when she feels her world crumbling around her. Her skin is fair and dotted with freckles, especially across her nose, from hours of performing under the sun in Archersvale Park. She also has a fit physique that she maintains by jogging in the wee hours of the morning but often hides away with her signature hoodies. <</if>><</nobr>> $ma_nn Romance: $ma_rom<</if>> <<if $dc_name is "D">>!!$dc_name Castañeda <<else>><h2>$dc_name Castañeda</h2> The very definition of tall, dark, and alluring, D was your rival from the moment they laid eyes on you when they entered your fifth grade classroom at Archersvale High. The two of you were always tied at the top, seemingly much to D’s irritation based on how they would instantly scowl whenever your gaze met theirs. As far as rivals go, D wasn’t that bad, all things considered; he never tried to harm you during Physical Ed, sabotage you when you had to represent the school at official competitions, or accuse you of cheating on exams and assignments, though they did throw many snide remarks at you and M throughout those years. The last time you saw D was on the day of your high school graduation when they gave the valedictorian speech. It was a very moving speech, but it wasn’t their words that stuck with you; it was the way they kept glancing at you with a frown that almost seemed … conflicted. <<nobr>> <<if $dc_name is "Delfín">> Delfín surprises you when you first see him again after almost ten years, sporting his wavy dark brown hair in a casual quiff, which is quite the contrast to your childhood days when he kept his hair slicked back all the time. His dark brown eyes seem to have lost the competitive glint they used to have every time they met yours, but the passion you always saw in them whenever he was determined or enthusiastic about something hasn’t diminished at all. His skin is brown and somehow unblemished in spite of the work he does, but his hands are more calloused around his knuckles than you remember. His body is also much more muscular than his lean frame in your school days, his broad shoulders pronounced through the leather jacket and T-shirt he swapped his old sweater vest and white button down for. <<elseif $dc_name is "Delfína">> Delfína has significantly cut down the length of her hair since the last time you saw her, her long, wavy tresses now only reaching her chin, but the way that she ties it back in a half ponytail is a familiar sight. Her dark brown eyes seem to have lost the competitive glint they used to have every time they met yours, but the passion you always saw in them whenever she was determined or enthusiastic about something hasn’t diminished at all. Her skin is brown and somehow unblemished in spite of the work she does, but her hands are more calloused around her knuckles than you remember. Her body is also much more athletic than her lean frame in your school days, her broad shoulders pronounced through the leather jacket and T-shirt she swapped her old sweater vest and white button down for. <</if>><</nobr>> $dc_name Romance: $dc_rom<</if>> <span class="next"><<button "Return" $return>><</button>></span>

!Investigation Findings !!The Suspects !!!<<link "Fiancee's Ex">> <<set $suspect to "Fiancee's Ex">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Fiancee's Ex"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Suspect Profiles").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>> !!!<<link "Rival Journalist">> <<set $suspect to "Rival Journalist">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Rival Journalist"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Suspect Profiles").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>> !!!<<link "Vice Mayor">> <<set $suspect to "Vice Mayor">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Vice Mayor"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Suspect Profiles").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>> !!!<<link "Fiancee">> <<set $suspect to "Fiancee">> <<script>> Dialog.setup("Fiancee"); Dialog.wiki(Story.get("Suspect Profiles").processText()); Dialog.open(); <</script>> <</link>> !!The Evidence <span class="next"><<button "Return" $return>><</button>></span>

[[Sugarcube 2 Documentation|https://www.motoslave.net/sugarcube/2/docs]] [[OpenDyslexic Font by Abbie Gonzalez|https://opendyslexic.org]] [[Notify Macro by Chapel|https://github.com/ChapelR/custom-macros-for-sugarcube-2]] [[Live Update Macro by Cycy|https://github.com/cyrusfirheir/cycy-wrote-custom-macros]]

<<nobr>><<if $suspect is "Fiancee's Ex">>Fiancee's Ex recently came to town upon hearing about Fiancee's engagement to your brother <<elseif $suspect is "Rival Journalist">>Rival Journalist once worked at the same news agency as your brother, until your brother learned of his illegal dealings and promptly reported him to the police. <<elseif $suspect is "Vice Mayor">>Your brother learned of his embezzlement. <<elseif $suspect is "Fiancee">>Fiancee came to Archersvale about 6 months ago.<</if>> <</nobr>>

The main thing that you remembered from your high school graduation ceremony was the sweltering heat from the summer sun that was bearing down on you and everyone else in attendance. Summer decided to come early that year, and though many of your fellow graduates and their parents had protested, the administration pushed through with holding the event at the recently completed football stadium behind the school. //After the graduation caps were tossed up into the air at the end, you and $ma_nn reunited and looked for your brother, who you lost track of in the sea of graduates and family members. You finally found the <<cycle "$hairtexture" autoselect>> <<option "silky">> <<option "wavy">> <<option "curly">> <<option "coily">> <</cycle>> <<listbox "$haircolor" autoselect>> <<option "black">> <<option "oak brown">> <<option "light brown">> <<option "burgundy">> <<option "mahogany">> <<option "auburn">> <<option "copper">> <<option "ginger">> <<option "strawberry blonde">> <<option "dark blonde">> <<option "ash blonde">> <<option "golden blonde">> <<option "platinum blonde">> <<option "white">> <</listbox>> hair similar to <<if $hairlength is "smooth" or $hairlength is "buzzed">>your father's<<else>>your own<</if>> right by the end of the bleachers and called out his name. “$brother!” Your brother seemed to perk up at the sound of your voice, though how he heard you over the loud chatter all around you, he never said. His eyes lit up as soon as they met yours and you saw his shoulders relax in visible relief. He gave you an enthusiastic wave before he yelled over his shoulder at someone out of your line of sight. *[['“There he is! I told you I could find him faster than you!”'|Ch 1.16][$HeShe to "He", $heshe to "he", $HimHer to "Him", $himher to "him", $HisHer to "His", $hisher to "his", $HisHers to "His", $hishers to "his", $Himself to "Himself", $himself to "himself", $plural to false]] *[['“There she is! I told you I could find her faster than you!”'|Ch 1.16][$HeShe to "She", $heshe to "she", $HimHer to "Her", $himher to "her", $HisHer to "Her", $hisher to "her", $HisHers to "Hers", $hishers to "hers", $Himself to "Herself", $himself to "herself", $plural to false]] *[['“There they are! I told you I could find them faster than you!”'|Ch 1.16][$HeShe to "They", $heshe to "they", $HimHer to "Them", $himher to "them", $HisHer to "Their", $hisher to "their", $HisHers to "Theirs", $hishers to "theirs", $Himself to "Themself", $himself to "themself", $plural to true]] *[['“There xe is! I told you I could find xem faster than you!”'|Ch 1.16][$HeShe to "Xe", $heshe to "xe", $HimHer to "Xem", $himher to "xem", $HisHer to "Xyr", $hisher to "xyr", $HisHers to "Xyrs",$hishers to "xyrs", $Himself to "Xemself", $himself to "xemself", $plural to false]] *[['“There ze is! I told you I could find hir faster than you!”'|Ch 1.16][$HeShe to "Ze", $heshe to "ze", $HimHer to "Hir", $himher to "hir", $HisHer to "Hir", $hisher to "hir", $HisHers to "Hirs", $hishers to "hirs", $Himself to "Hirself", $himself to "hirself", $plural to false]] *[['“There ze is! I told you I could find zir faster than you!”'|Ch 1.16][$HeShe to "Ze", $heshe to "ze", $HimHer to "Zir", $himher to "Zir", $HisHer to "Zir", $hisher to "Zir", $HisHers to "Zirs", $hishers to "Zirs", $Himself to "Zirself", $himself to "Zirself", $plural to false]] *[['“There ey is! I told you I could find em faster than you!”'|Ch 1.16][$HeShe to "Ey", $heshe to "ey", $HimHer to "Em", $himher to "em", $HisHer to "Eir", $hisher to "eir", $HisHers to "Eirs", $hishers to "eirs", $Himself to "Emself", $himself to "emself", $plural to false]] *[[Your brother used a different set of pronouns to refer to you.|Input pronouns]]//

//As your brother made his way through the crowd, you managed to catch a glimpse of the person behind him and saw his best friend, Jamie, trailing behind him with a proud smile on their face that matched $brother’s. You were pleasantly surprised to see them because they told you that they had a prior engagement to attend to when you invited them. $brother and Jaime had been close friends since before you were even born, so growing up, it was as if you had two siblings instead of only one. They adored you as much as your brother did, and similarly took every chance they could to spoil you rotten. When they finally made it to you and $ma_nn, your brother affectionately ruffled both of your heads with a grin. “Congrats on making it through high school, kiddos!” “Congrats, you two! Now, it’s only four more years before we can start collecting all the money we spent on giving these kids candy,” Jamie joked as they playfully nudged $brother with their elbow, earning a chuckle out of him and a couple of indignant noises from you and $ma_nn. Your brother sighed, a nostalgic smile on his face. “I still can’t believe these knuckleheads are going to college already. Feels like it was just yesterday when they only came up to our waists.” Memories of Tiny You running circles around $brother before he lifted you up into the air elicited a fond grin from you. You've certainly grown since then, <<cycle "$height" autoselect>> <<option "though you are still quite short" "very short">> <<option "though you are still a bit short" "short">> <<option "and you are now at an average height" "average">> <<option "and you are now rather tall" "tall">> <<option "and you are now very tall" "very tall">> <</cycle>> for your age. Jamie then slung an arm around $ma_nn and waved at you and $brother as they started walking backwards in the direction of the nearby bleacher stairs, taking your best friend with them. “Alright, I’m gonna have one last heart-to-heart with this kid before $ma_heshe starts aging rapidly before my eyes. See you guys in a bit!”// <span class="next"><<button "Next" "Ch 1.17">><</button>></span> /*[[Ch 1.17]]*/

<h2>Custom Pronouns</h2> <div id="centered"><h3>Subjective Capitalized (He/She/They)</h3><<textbox "$HeShe" "">> <h3>Subjective lowercase (he/she/they)</h3><<textbox "$heshe" "">> <h3>Objective Capitalized (Him/Her/Them)</h3><<textbox "$HimHer" "">> <h3>Objective lowercase (him/her/them)</h3><<textbox "$himher" "">> <h3>Pronomial Possessive Capitalized (His/Her/Their)</h3><<textbox "$HisHer" "">> <h3>Pronomial Possessive lowercase (his/her/their)</h3><<textbox "$hisher" "">> <h3>Predicative Possessive Capitalized (His/Hers/Theirs)</h3><<textbox "$HisHers" "">> <h3>Predicative Possessive lowercase (his/hers/theirs)</h3><<textbox "$hishers" "">> <h3>Reflexive Capitalized (Himself/Herself/Themself)</h3><<textbox "$Himself" "">> <h3>Reflexive lowercase (himself/herself/themself)</h3><<textbox "$himself" "">> <h3>Single or Plural</h3><<radiobutton "$plural" false checked>> Singular <<radiobutton "$plural" true>> Plural </div> <span class="next"><<button "Next" "Ch 1.16">><</button>></span> /*[[Ch 1.16]]*/

//As they made their way up the bleachers, $brother turned to you with a smile, but you noticed that it didn’t quite reach his eyes. You sighed, knowing exactly what was causing his apprehension: your aspiration to become a detective. “Are you //still// worried? We’ve gone over this a hundred times already, $brother.” “I know, it’s just,” he let out a sigh that matched the one you had released earlier. “Of all the jobs in the world, couldn’t you have chosen a less dangerous one?” You frowned. He had already told you that he would support your pursuit of your dream after countless discussions that started out exactly like this. “$brother…” Your brother quickly relented and held his hands up in surrender. “Right, right, I’ll ease up on the smothering. Promise me you’ll be careful?” “I promise.” “Good. Now,” he tossed you the keys to the family <<cycle "$car" autoselect>> <<option "SUV">> <<option "hatchback">> <<option "crossover">> <<option "sedan">> <<option "minivan">> <<option "station wagon">> <<option "pickup truck">> <</cycle>>, which he had decided to pass down to you when you finished high school. “The Archers are headed this way, so you two had better get going. Jamie and I’ll distract them while you make your escape.” You gave him a grateful smile. You were so glad to have $brother and Jamie on your side, you doubt that anyone else would be so willing to help you and $ma_nn run away to Asterales City. “Thanks.”// As you look back on that day, you found it interesting how everything eventually came full circle. Not everyone got to work alongside their inspiration for becoming what they wanted to be, but you were lucky to be partnered up with Lieutenant Parker Douglass, the very detective who caught your parents’ killer. <span class="next"><<button "Next" "Ch 1.18">><</button>></span> /*[[Ch 1.18]]*/

After about fifteen minutes, you finally arrive at your apartment building. You park your car, enter the lobby, and let out a huge yawn as you wait for the elevator. One rumbling elevator ride later, you were inserting the keys to your unit and turning the door knob. To your surprise, all the lights in the apartment were off. Though you always told $ma_himher that $ma_heshe didn’t need to stay up for you, $ma_nn always insisted on doing so anyway, so you would usually come home to $ma_himher having a snack in the kitchen-slash-dining area. “$ma_nn? I'm home,” you call out, keeping your voice soft in case they were sleeping on the sofa. You enter the living space and find that $ma_nn was indeed fast asleep, leaning on one side of the couch and all bundled up in $ma_hisher thick blanket. Playing on the TV was $ma_hisher go-to pick-me-up movie, so combining that with the small tub of pistachio ice cream $ma_heshe was still clutching in $ma_hisher lap, you could tell that $ma_heshe had been upset. You manage to extricate the tub of ice cream without jostling $ma_nn too much. You set the tub down on the coffee table, then hear $ma_himher sniffle. You turn back and see $ma_himher frowning in $ma_hisher sleep, before fresh tears begin rolling down $ma_hisher cheek. *[[You gently brush away the tears.|Ch 1.19][$choice to 1]] *[[You reach out to brush away the tears, but stop and think better of it.|Ch 1.19][$choice to 2]] *<<link "You softly caress $ma_hisher head in an attempt to soothe $ma_himher." "Ch 1.19">><<set $choice to 3>><</link>> *<<link "You lightly shake $ma_himher awake from $ma_hisher nightmare." "Ch 1.19">><<set $choice to 4>><</link>>

<<if settings.notifications>><<notify 3s>>Saved!<</notify>><</if>><<if $choice is 1>>Without thinking too much about it, you gently brush away the tears.<<elseif $choice is 2>>You reach out to brush away the tears, but you hesitate and think better of it.<<elseif $choice is 3>>You softly caress $ma_hisher head in an attempt to soothe $ma_himher.<<elseif $choice is 4>>You put your hands on $ma_hisher shoulders and lightly shake $ma_himher awake from $ma_hisher nightmare.<</if>><<unset $choice>> $ma_nn slowly rouses from $ma_hisher sleep, blearily blinking $ma_hisher eyes. “$firstname? Is that you?” “Yeah, it’s me, I'm here, $ma_nn.” You speak quietly as $ma_heshe squints at you. “What's wrong?” It takes $ma_himher a moment to become fully aware of $ma_hisher surroundings. When $ma_heshe finally recognizes you, $ma_hisher eyes quickly widen and $ma_heshe bolts up in $ma_hisher seat. $ma_HeShe noticeably turns pale. “You haven't checked your phone, have you?” You suddenly realize that you had forgotten to check your phone once you clocked out after putting your phone on silent the whole day. "No, why?" You begin to grow alarmed. "$ma_nn, what's wrong? What happened?" $ma_HeShe avoids your gaze, $ma_hisher voice trembling as $ma_heshe speaks. “Mayor Alex called me earlier...” You frown. Mayor Alex Carlisle-Arden is the mayor of Archersvale and one of Jamie's parents. They occasionally call on the weekends to check up on the two of you. However, you get the feeling the good mayor wasn’t just reaching out for the usual social call and feel a pit form in your stomach. $ma_nn's next words confirm your worst suspicions: "$firstname... your brother passed away this morning." <h3>[[End of Chapter One|Demo End]]</h3> /*<span class="next"><<button "Next" "Ch 2.01">><</button>></span>*/ /*[[Ch 2.01]]*/

<h1>Demo End</h1> <div id="centered">That's all for now! Thanks for reading and stay tuned for Chapter 2!</div>