OLYMPUS: Secret Services

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[[Characters]] [[Personal File]] [[Mission details]]

@@.category;ABILITIES:@@ History: $history Technology: $technology Observation: $observation Strength: $strength Training: $training @@.category;ATTITUDE:@@ <<if $cautious gte 5 >> You tend to be more <span style="color:#d32f2f">cautious</span>.\ <<elseif $cautious lte -5 >> You tend to be more <span style="color:#d32f2f">reckless</span>.\ <<else>> You can be both cautious and reckless depending on the situation.<</if>> <<if $emotional gte 5 >> You are often guided by your <span style="color:#d32f2f">emotions</span>. <<elseif $emotional lte -5 >> You don't seem fazed by much, and are more <span style="color:#d32f2f">aloof</span> than most. <<else>> Depending on the situation, you can hide or reveal your feelings.<</if>> <<if $charming gte 5 >> Others see you as a <span style="color:#d32f2f">charming</span> person.\ <<elseif $charming lte -5 >> You tend to <span style="color:#d32f2f">intimidate</span> those around you. <<else>> Depending on your mood, you can be charming or intimidating. <</if>> <<if $genuine gte 5 >> When you talk, you have a tendency to be <span style="color:#d32f2f">genuine</span>.\ <<elseif $genuine lte -5 >> When you talk, you have a tendency to be <span style="color:#d32f2f">sarcastic</span>.\ <<else>> You are neither too genuine nor too sarcastic. <</if>> <<if $noble gte 5 >> When confronted by danger, you try to be as <span style="color:#d32f2f">merciful</span> as you can be.\ <<elseif $noble lte -5 >> People often say you are <span style="color:#d32f2f">ruthless</span>, and you agree with them.\ <<else>> You try to be merciful, but your safety comes first.<</if>> <<if $honest gte 5 >> You tend to be <span style="color:#d32f2f">truthful</span>.\ <<elseif $honest lte -5 >> You tend to be <span style="color:#d32f2f">dishonest</span>.\ <<else>> You can be both truthful and dishonest depending on the situation.<</if>> @@.category;AMOUR:@@ <<if $denial gt 5>> Jeremiah likes to say you're in <span style="color:#d32f2f">"denial"</span>, but you deny that. <</if>>\ <<if $oblivious gt 0>> You <span style="color:#d32f2f">don't notice</span> when people flirt with you, for best or for worst.<</if>>\ <<if $shy gte 5 >> When people flirt with you, your <span style="color:#d32f2f">shyness</span> gets the best of you.\ <<elseif $shy lte -5 >> When people flirt with you, you <span style="color:#d32f2f">boldly flirt back</span>, with no hesitation.\ <<else>> You can be shy or bold depending on the person who flirts.<</if>> @@.category;ALLIGIANCE:@@ <<if $allegiance_olympus gte 15>> You fight for <span style="color:#d32f2f">OLYMPUS</span>.<<else>> You fight for <span style="color:#d32f2f">yourself</span>.<</if>> <<if $team_relationship gte 15>> You're a <span style="color:#d32f2f">team member</span>. <<else>> You're a <span style="color:#d32f2f">loner</span>.<</if>> <<link "Return" $return>><</link>>

@@.chaptertitle;Character List@@ <<if $chapter1_completed is true >> [[ROs]] [[OLYMPUS]] <<else>> <</if>> <<link "Return" $return>><</link>>

@@.chaptertitle;Personal File@@ <b>NAME</b>: $name <b>SURNAME</b>: $last_name <b>DATE OF BIRTH</b>: unknown <b>PLACE OF BIRTH</b>: unknown <b>GENDER and PRONOUNS</b>: $gender ($he/$him) <b>PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION</b>: $hair_length $hair_color hair that is $hair_style, $eye_color eyes, $skin skin and $height stature <b>PREVIOUS JOB</b>: $past_job <b>PAST</b>:unknown <<link "Return" $return>><</link>> [[Stats]] <<if $prologue_completed is true >> [[YOUR PAST]] <<else>> <</if>>

@@.chaptertitle;Mission Details@@ CURRENT MISSION: <<if $prologue_start is true>> Survive.<</if>> <<if $chapter1_start is true>> Do your job.<</if>> <<link "Return" $return>><</link>>

E.K. George

<<set $gender to "redacted">> <<set $he to "">> <<set $che to "">> <<set $him to "">> <<set $his to "">> <<set $name to "redacted">> <<set $last_name to "redacted">> <<set $hair_color to "redacted">> <<set $hair_length to "redacted">> <<set $hair_style to "redacted">> <<set $eye_color to "redacted">> <<set $skin to "redacted">> <<set $height to "redacted">> <<set $past_job to "redacted">> <<set $training to "redacted">> <<set $sex_scenes to false>> <<set $triggers to false>> <<set $genitalia to "redacted">> <<set $trauma_mute to false>> <<set $mute to 0>> <<set $history to 0>> <<set $technology to 0>> <<set $observation to 0>> <<set $strength to 0>> <<set $cautious to 0>> <<set $emotional to 0>> <<set $charming to 0>> <<set $genuine to 0>> <<set $noble to 0>> <<set $honest to 0>> <<set $shy to 0>> <<set $denial to 0>> <<set $oblivious to 0>> <<set $allegience_olympus to 0>> <<set $team_relationship to 0>> <<set $a_meet to false>> <<set $m_meet to false>> <<set $b_meet to false>> <<set $l_meet to false>> <<set $s_meet to false>> <<set $a_name to "Louis">> <<set $m_name to "Jay">> <<set $b_name to "Merlin">> <<set $l_name to "redacted">> <<set $a_gender to "male">> <<set $a_he to "he">> <<set $a_him to "him">> <<set $a_his to "his">> <<set $m_gender to "male">> <<set $m_he to "he">> <<set $m_him to "him">> <<set $m_his to "his">> <<set $b_gender to "male">> <<set $b_he to "he">> <<set $b_him to "him">> <<set $b_his to "his">> <<set $l_gender to "male">> <<set $l_he to "he">> <<set $l_him to "him">> <<set $l_his to "his">> <<set $s_gender to "male">> <<set $s_he to "he">> <<set $s_him to "him">> <<set $s_his to "his">> <<set $jeremiah to 0>> <<set $j_love to 0 >> <<set $lachlan to 0>> <<set $prologue_start to false>> <<set $prologue_completed to false>> <<set $chapter1_start to false>> <<set $chapter1_completed to false>>

<<if $a_meet is true >> <b> L.A. ARCHER </b> <<if $a_gender is "female" >> Full name: Louise Amara Archer <<elseif $a_gender is "male" >> Full name: Louis Anthony Archer <</if>> Date & Place of Birth: 19/08 in Perth, Australia Age: 32 Post: Leader, ARES. Skills: Combat, Weaponry, Intuition, Strategy. Background: Ex-Marine, fired for insubordination. Family of army men and women. Physical description: tall, muscular frame, green eyes, short straight light blond hair, olive skin. <<else>> <b> ??? </b> You have not met this character yet. <</if>> <<if $m_meet is true >> <b>J. MISHRA </b> <<if $a_gender is "female" >> Full name: Jaya Mishra <<elseif $a_gender is "male" >> Full name: Jai Mishra <</if>> Date & Place of Birth: 28/09 in [REDACTED] Age: 28 Post: Strategist, APHRODITE. Skills: Intelligence, Strategy, Technology, Hand to Hand Combat. Background: Born and raised in OLYMPUS headquarters. Child of ZEUS. Deep knowledge of OLYMPUS activities, trained by APHRODITE. Physical description: average height and frame, brown eyes, long wavy black hair, brown skin. <<else>> <b> ??? </b> You have not met this character yet. <</if>> <<if $b_meet is true >> <<if $a_gender is "female" >> <b>N. BOTHA</b> Full name: Nimue BOTHA <<elseif $a_gender is "male" >> <b>M. BOTHA</b> Full name: Merlin BOTHA <</if>> Date & Place of Birth: 02/02 in Johannesburg, South-Africa Age: 22 Post: Sniper, APOLLO. Skills: History, Mythology, Technology, Weaponry. Background: Raised by grand-parents in rural South-Africa. No combat training. No university. Mnemonic memory, remembers everything read, heard or seen. Physical description: short, slender frame, black eyes, short kinky black hair, dark skin. <<else>> <b> ??? </b> You have not met this character yet. <</if>> <<if $l_meet is true >> <b>N3ZH4</b> Full name: [Redacted] Date & Place of Birth: [Redacted]. Age: [Redacted] Post: Hacker, HERMES. Skills: Technology, Communication. Background: [Redacted] Physical description: very good looking. <<else>> <b> ??? </b> You have not met this character yet. <</if>> <<if $s_meet is true >> <b>R. SMITH</b> Full name: Rowan Smith (Presumably fake) Date & Place of Birth: unknown, unknown (Presumably USA). Age: unknown (Presumably mid 20s) Job: Thief. Background: Started working as a thief in early 20s under several different fake names. Presumably responsible for 127 thefts since. Uses costumes & contacts with the underworld. Physical description: average height, slender frame, blue eyes, medium wavy red hair, fair skin. (Attention: appearance can vary) <<else>> <b> ??? </b> You have not met this character yet. <</if>> <<link "Return" $return>><</link>>

@@.chaptertitle;The Council@@ 1. <b>ZEUS: THE BUREAU.</b> Chief of OLYMPUS, ZEUS and their section represent the agency worldwide. The bureau is also in charge of the council, and their decisions on any and every subject are not bound to the vote of the council. The bureau is small, composed of only a few agents and ZEUS. 2. <b>HERA: OLYMPUS HEADQUARTERS.</b> Deals with Olympus matters within Olympus. The HERA section is in charge of managing agents, assigning missions, handling the budget... Headquarters run the agency, and decides what and who works for OLYMPUS... and for how long. 3. <b>ARES: THE CAMP.</b> Deals with land artifact and the training of the Olympus agents. ARES agents are the ones who retrieve most of the artifacts, as they are part of one of the longest running section of OLYMPUS. ARES offices are nicknamed "camp", as it is the place all agents go to train at least once in their careers. 4. <b>POSEIDON: MAELSTROM.</b> Deals with underwater artifacts and other maritime matters. Often in competition with ARES for most artifacts retrieved, POSEIDON section is the first section to be created and helped the Atlantis discovery. Nicknamed Maelstrom because of its toughness, it is often described as one of the hardest sections to work in, along with the Underground. 5. <b>ATHENA: THE TACTICAL TEAM OFFICE.</b> Deals with the Tactical Teams. Recently created, the Tactical Teams get the most difficult missions that require a vast array of skills. Instead of each section focusing on one part of the mission, ATHENA agents have everything they need right next to them, so the missions can be quicker and easier... in theory. Because of their recent creation, the section has only a couple of teams and is observed closely by the Council. 6. <b>ARTEMIS: THE DOGHOUSE.</b> Deals with stolen or unchecked artifacts and the capture of those who keep them away from Olympus. Nicknamed the “doghouse” by the other sections because of their “fetching”, ARTEMIS agents stop at nothing to retrieve dangerous artifacts fallen in the wrong hands. 7. <b>APPOLO: THE VAULT.</b> Deals directly with the artifacts, their testing and storage. The vault, where the artifacts are stored, is reserved to APPOLO agents and the highest ranking members of OLYMPUS. Experts on all artifacts subjects, APPOLO agents also help other section find lost and unfound artifacts, under water or on land. 8. <b>APHRODITE: THE TOWER.</b> Deals with infiltration and intelligence in general. As artifacts are a highly valued currency, a lot of “institutions” tend to keep theirs hidden and away from OLYMPUS. APHRODITE agents blend in their environment until they find the artifacts and sent a ARTEMIS team to retrieve them. The APHRODITE section has the smallest office, as their agents are rarely there. It is situated at the top of Olympus, hence its nickname. 9. <b>HEPHAESTUS: THE SHOP. </b> Deals with the weaponry and technological developments. The shop is a favorite place among OLYMPUS agents, as the HEPHAESTUS section develops the latest weapons and technologies for agents to use during their missions. HEPHAESTUS agents also help APPOLO agents with their testing of the artifacts. 10. <b>HERMES: THE CENTER.</b> Deals with communication and technological aspects for agents on the ground. HERMES agents communicate vital information to the team through secure channels and deal with any technological aspect that could be an obstacle for the agents. The center is situated at the center of Olympus, hence its name. But it is also at the center of every section, as they enable sections to work between them. 11. <b>DEMETER: THE COURTROOM.</b> Deals with law issues, both inside and outside OLYMPUS. Experts in laws and diplomacy, they use their knowledge to make sure their agents avoid legislative measures, before sending ARTEMIS if diplomacy fails. They also conduct their own search on Olympus agents to stop them for turning against Olympus. Because of this, DEMETER agents are not liked by other sections, and their office is known as "the courtroom". 12. <b>HADES: THE UNDERWORLD.</b> Deals with secret missions, invading enemies’ territories secretly and contact with the underworld. If the Council wants to hide something, the Underworld is taking care of it. <<link "Return" $return>><</link>>

<b>THE DREAM</b>: Water, drowning... A fall. From where? I was bleeding, also don't know why. Someone jumped. Did she fell too? Who was she? <b>THE ACADEMY</b>: Lachlan rescued me. He helped me. But that was a long time ago. I met Jeremiah there. <<if $j_r gte 75>>\ He's my best friend. I can't imagine my life without him. Even when I can't stand him and his annoying face.\ <<elseif $j_r gte 50>>\ He's my oldest friend. He gave me the courage to leave the academy, and I'll always be grateful to him. But we've grown apart since then.\ <<elseif $j_r gte 25>>\ He's my childhood friend. Sometimes I'm almost nostalgic of our time together. But we're different people now.\ <<elseif $j_r lt 25>>\ We might have been close now, but we're basically strangers now.\ <</if>>\ <<if $j_love is 1>>\ I also might have feelings for him although he’s married to the mother of his child.\ <<if $j_love is 2>>\ I used to have feelings for him, But I have moved on from it since.\ <<else>>\ <</if>> ... <<link "Return" $return>><</link>>

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/NeE7u8i.png" alt="Prologue"><<set $prologue_start to true>> Your dreams always start the same way, ever since you were a child... ever since you were ''found''. First, there's the feeling of the fall, and the wind lashing against your back. Your eyes are wide open, but you can barely see as the heavy rain obscures your vision of the sky and dampens a scream. You wonder if it's yours or someone else's. Then, there's the impact, the sensation of your body shattering. It pushes the air out of your lungs, but you have no time to dwell on it as your body is submerged in the water that was below you seconds before. The darkness is surrounding you. You no longer know if your eyes are open or closed. Finally, there's the burning feeling as freezing water fill up your lungs, the salty taste of the sea the last thing you remember before the void takes you away from that hellish place and into sweet unconsciousness. Free from the pain at last. At this point, your dreams shift, portraying various moments of your life, or your deeper fears coming to life; dreams always so vivid that leaves you feeling like the dreamed actor who is suffering instead of the dreaming, knowledgeable observer. It might be more accurate to call them nightmares, as you cannot recall a single night where your brain showed you anything else but torment. [[Next.|0.1]]

@@.chaptertitle;OLYMPUS: Secret Services@@ After years of being unseen, someone takes notice of you, of your special set of skills. They want you to work for them - or rather for Olympus, a mysterious global agency who seems to deal with... magic? A chain of reactions begins, one that will free a beast of a magnitude you can't imagine, and that awakens the past horrors you tried so hard to forget. How will it influence you? And how will you influence <i>it</i>? •·················•·················• <i>Olympus</i> is an interactive fiction that strives to make your character as personalisable as possible. Please complete the character creation before starting the game. <<button "Start Character Creation" "CC">><</button>>

<<silently>> <<if $he == "he">> <<set $che = "He">> <<set $him = "him">> <<set $his = "his">> <<elseif $he == "they">> <<set $che = "They">> <<set $him = "them">> <<set $his = "their">> <<elseif $he == "she">> <<set $che = "She">> <<set $him = "her">> <<set $his = "her">> <</if>> <</silently>> <<button "Click here to create your identity." "name">><</button>> You are called <span style="color:#d32f2f"><b>$name $last_name</b></span>. You use <span style="color:#d32f2f"><b>$he/$him pronouns</b></span>, and identify as <span style="color:#d32f2f"><b>$gender</b></span>. <<button "Click here to create your physique." "hair1">><</button>> You have <span style="color:#d32f2f"><b>$hair_length $hair_color</b></span> hair that is <span style="color:#d32f2f"><b>$hair_style</b></span>. You have <span style="color:#d32f2f"><b>$eye_color eyes</b></span> and <span style="color:#d32f2f"><b>$skin</b></span> skin. You are <span style="color:#d32f2f"><b>$height</b></span>. [[Next|RO+trigger]]

Choose from female names. *[[Morana|lastname][$name to "Morana"]] *[[Niamh|lastname][$name to "Niamh"]] *[[Inazami|lastname][$name to "Inazami"]] *[[Tahmina|lastname][$name to "Tahmina"]] *[[Isis|lastname][$name to "Isis"]] *[[Freyja|lastname][$name to "Freyja"]] Choose from male names. *[[Veles|lastname][$name to "Veles"]] *[[Naoise|lastname][$name to "Naoise"]] *[[Suijin|lastname][$name to "Suijin"]] *[[Bahram|lastname][$name to "Bahram"]] *[[Anubis|lastname][$name to "Anubis"]] *[[Thor|lastname][$name to "Thor"]] Choose from gender-neutral names. *[[Pax|lastname][$name to "Pax"]] *[[Sláine|lastname][$name to "Sláine"]] *[[Meztli|lastname][$name to "Meztli"]] *[[Mehr|lastname][$name to "Mehr"]] *[[Padma|lastname][$name to "Padma"]] *[[Amor|lastname][$name to "Amor"]] <label>Input a first name.<<textbox "$name" "">></label>[[Next|lastname]]

Choose your <b>last name</b>. *[[Shepard|gender][$last_name to "Shepard"]] *[[Croft|gender][$last_name to "Croft"]] *[[Wayne|gender][$last_name to "Wayne"]] *[[Winchester|gender][$last_name to "Winchester"]] *[[Pond|gender][$last_name to "Pond"]] *[[Holmes|gender][$last_name to "Holmes"]] <label>Input a last name.<<textbox "$last_name" "">></label>[[Next|gender]]

@@.category;ROMANCE OPTIONS:@@ This will determine the <b>gender of the character you can romance</b>. If you do not wish to make this choice yourself, you can select the <b>"default"</b> option (M!Archer, F!Mishra, F!Botha, NB!Smith, NB!Nezha). *<b>Archer</b>: <<cycle "$a_gender" autoselect>> <<option "male">> <<option "female">><<option "default" male>><</cycle>> *<b>Mishra</b>: <<cycle "$m_gender" autoselect>> <<option "male">> <<option "female">><<option "default" female>><</cycle>> *<b>Botha</b>: <<cycle "$b_gender" autoselect>> <<option "male">> <<option "female">><<option "default" female>><</cycle>> *<b>Smith</b>: <<cycle "$s_gender" autoselect>> <<option "male">> <<option "female">> <<option "non-binary">><<option "default" non-binary>><</cycle>> *<b>Nezha</b>: <<cycle "$l_gender" autoselect>> <<option "male">> <<option "female">> <<option "non-binary">><<option "default" non-binary>><</cycle>> @@.category;GAME OPTIONS:@@ OLYMPUS is a <b>16+ game</b>. Do you wish to see the potential <b>explicit sex scenes?</b> <<cycle "$sex_scenes" autoselect>> <<option "Yes">> <<option "No">> <</cycle>>. OLYMPUS has a lot of potentially triggering themes. Do you wish to see <b>trigger warnings</b> at the beginning of each chapters? <<cycle "$triggers" autoselect>> <<option "Yes">> <<option "No">> <</cycle>>. [[Next.|Check]]

Tonight is no exception. Without being able to stop it, your mind continues to show you the same images that have been hunting you. <<timed 2s>>The wind and the rain.<<next>> The impact, the cold water burning.<<next>> The darkness. <<next>>[[Next.|0.2]]<</timed>>

Choose your <b>hair color</b>: *[[black|hair2][$hair_color to "black"]] *[[dark brown|hair2][$hair_color to "dark brown"]] *[[brown|hair2][$hair_color to "brown"]] *[[light brown|hair2][$hair_color to "light brown"]] *[[dark blond|hair2][$hair_color to "dark blond"]] *[[blond|hair2][$hair_color to "blond"]] *[[light blond|hair2][$hair_color to "light blond"]] *[[strawberry blond|hair2][$hair_color to "strawberry blond"]] *[[red|hair2][$hair_color to "red"]] *[[dark red|hair2][$hair_color to "dark red"]]

Choose your <b>hair length</b> when your hair is unstyled: *[[very long|hair3][$hair_length to "very long"]] *[[long|hair3][$hair_length to "long"]] *[[shoulder-length|hair3][$hair_length to "shoulder-length"]] *[[short|hair3][$hair_length to "short"]] *[[very short|hair3][$hair_length to "very short"]]

Choose your usual <b>hair style</b>: *[[loose|eyes][$hair_style to "loose"]] *[[braids|eyes][$hair_style to "braided"]] *[[low ponytail|eyes][$hair_style to "tied back low"]] *[[high ponytail|eyes][$hair_style to "tied back high"]] *[[loose bun|eyes][$hair_style to "in a loose bun"]] *[[tight bun|eyes][$hair_style to "in a tight bun"]] *[[slicked back|eyes][$hair_style to "slicked back"]]

<b>TRIGGER WARNINGS:</b> *drowning *near-death experience *blood [[Next.|Prologue]]

<<silently>> <<if $a_gender == "female">><<set $a_he = "she">><<set $a_him = "her">><<set $a_his = "her">><<set $a_name = "Louise">><</if>> <<if $m_gender == "female">><<set $m_he = "she">><<set $m_him = "her">><<set $m_his = "her">><<set $m_name = "Jaya">><</if>> <<if $b_gender == "female">><<set $b_he = "she">><<set $b_him = "her">><<set $b_his = "her">><<set $b_name = "Nimue">><</if>> <<if $l_gender == "female">><<set $l_he = "she">><<set $l_him = "her">><<set $l_his = "her">><<elseif $l_gender == "non-binary">><<set $l_he = "they">><<set $l_him = "them">><<set $l_his = "their">><</if>> <<if $s_gender == "female">><<set $s_he = "she">><<set $s_him = "her">><<set $s_his = "her">><<elseif $s_gender == "non-binary">><<set $s_he = "they">><<set $s_him = "them">><<set $s_his = "their">><</if>> <</silently>> \ Please check the <b>personal file</b> to verify your data. If you want to change something, click on the link below. [[Return to the Character Creation.|CC]] <<if $triggers is "Yes">><<button "Start Story." "ACT1-yes">><</button>><<else>><<button "Start Story." "ACT1">><</button>><</if>>

//Danger.// The whisper awakes you, pulling you out of the darkness. Your vision is blurry at first, unfocused after the painful dream, and the loud buzzing seems to echo inside your head, pounding against its walls. You immediately shut your eyes close, clutch your head in the hopes to dampen the sound. Your hair feels wet and heavy, and it still hurts to breathe. A fall, the water... You drowned? You drowned, you died, pushed into the water, and she jumped, she- //Breathe.// The voice is back, calm as it whispers to you, though it cuts the loud buzzing. Both familiar and foreign, you don't even have to look around to know that this voice is ''inside'' your head. However, the voice comforts you, and its mere presence manages to calm you down. You do as it instructs. After a few painful deep breaths, the buzzing fades away into the distance. //Eyes in front.// You don’t dare to open your eyes again, afraid to find the darkness again. You hug yourself tighter but freeze when a new voice calls to you. You finally find the courage to glance at them. Two men stare back at you. Stay calm. Whereas the man on the left seems curious, the one on the right doesn't hide his frustration. They both wear similar clothes, wet black t-shirts, barring an insignia you don’t recognize. //Military posture. Combat clothes. Soldiers.// [[Next.|0.3]]

"What happens?" Lachlan repeats. "Well, you have to make a choice. We can drop you off at our next stop, bring you to a place for kids in your situation." He smiles at you. "Or you can come with me." "With you?" You can't quite tell if your voice is hopeful or suspicious, but it certainly is curious, and ultimately, the reaction that Lachlan wanted. "Yeah, with me. I was like you once, a long time ago. These people found me and took me in. They took care of me, like I can take care of you and others like us. They give me something, that I can give you." He stands up from his chair and makes his way to you, crouching down to your level. "What-" Your voice barely gets out, your throat tightening, desperate to hear the rest of his words. "What do you give them?" "A reason to fight." He takes your hands in his. "You're not the only one who've been dealt a really shitty hand in this life. I know firsthand what it's like to wake up and feel like you have no one and nothing on your side. But if you come to the Academy, then you'd have us. People who can understand you because they went through the same things as you. People who can help you. You'd have a family, one who'll fight with you." //Danger.// "What do you think, kid?" //''Danger.''// <<if $emotional gt 0>> You untighten your fist to wipe a tear on your cheek. You can't help but think that maybe, somewhere out there, there are people who are waiting for you to come home. Maybe they can help you find them? Or maybe they'll be the Academy will be your family? In any case, you already know your answer. <<else>> It sounds too good to be true. It probably is, as the voice keeps repeating the same word. You untighten your fist to wipe a tear on your cheek. Your brain shifts from wishing your family awaits you and knowing that you don't have a family, and perhaps you never did. It's a miracle you even survived the drowning and the storm, but if you wished to try to find them, they'll surely help you... <</if>> You ignore the voice - //danger// - to reply. <<if $genuine gt 0>> "I want to go. I want to go to the Academy with you." <<else>> "Sure, I'll go with you. What's the worst that can happen? I already almost died." <</if>> How wrong you were. [[Next.|0.6]]

//Soldiers.// If they're soldiers, they have weapons. If they have weapons... //Danger.// Ah, so this is what it meant. "Hello again, kid." The curious man speaks. His voice is low, with a hint of an amused tone. Does he find your lack of survival skill funny? "You feel better after a nap?" The question revives the buzzing in your ear. You don't remember sleeping. You remember the drowning. The impact. The fall. Before, she tried to stop it. But nothing can stop it. The buzzing is too much to bear, and you wished you didn’t remember anything. This time, the sound disappears on its own, and the memories along with it. The man takes your silence as an opportunity to speak more. "You've been dozing on and off. Each time, you remember less and less” He clears his throat and start talking as if he had rehearsed it before. "Something... happened to you. We found you alone in the water and we rescued you, had a doctor check out these nasty wounds." The voice's warning rings again in your ear, but something about him puts you at ease. He doesn't seem dangerous. He actually seems sorry for you. //Danger.// But they rescued you. You drowned, and they rescued you. Doesn't that count for something? They stopped it. She tried, but they succeeded. “So how do you feel now, kid?" How do you feel? You almost died, and you’re losing your memory. You're hearing a voice inside your head, and you're trapped on a boat with soldiers with no means to defend yourself. How do you feel? *<<button "I'm calm. I didn't die, and if they wanted to kill me, they would have done it by now." "0.4a">><</button>> *<<button "I'm angry, sad, exhausted... So much has happened, how are you supposed to talk about your feelings right now?" "0.4b">><</button>> *<<button "I'm fine. Everything's great, it’s just a matter of time before I officially lose my mind." "0.4c">><</button>> *<<button "...I try to speak, but no words come out. I frown, what is happening to me?" "0.4d">><<set $emotional -= 3>><</button>> *<<button "...I try to speak, but no words come out. I panic, what is happening to me?" "0.4d">><<set $emotional += 3>><</button>>

<<set $emotional -= 3>><<set $genuine += 2>> The curious man says nothing as you stay silent, but his eyebrows frown slightly. You continue to eye the lamp, swinging back and forth, and you imagine the boat, and the water. The cold, stabbing water- "Kid?" The man catches your attention. You finally look him in the eye, and his ocean (cold, suffocating, painful) blue eyes stare at your $eye_color ones. "I'm fine." "Alright, that's good. Do you know what happened? Do you remember anything?" What a strange question. "I do." "Do you want to talk about it?" Why does he ask that? You were there, it happened to you. "I guess not. Are you sure you feel alright?" "Yeah because I didn't." One of his eyebrows shoots up. You start to wonder if this man is really smart enough to be a danger to you. "I didn't die." He leans back in his chair, an amused smile on his lips. "That's right kid. You didn't die...You're not scared?" "Why would I be? You would have killed me by now if you wanted too." "Killed you? Really?" He eyes widen for a moment, and the amused smile turns into a full grin. "I would've?" "Yes." You sigh, playing with your fingers to distract yourself of his gleeful gaze. "You ask a lot of stupid questions." He chuckles. "I do. I really do. Do you have any questions for me?" You take a moment to think. Not about questions, you have thousands of them, but about which one to ask first. "Who are you?" "My name is Lachlan. What's yours?" You ignore that question and follow with your next one. "Can I eat? I'm hungry." "Sure. When Nemo comes back with the doctor, I'll ask him to bring you some food." You open your voice and have to force your voice to come out to ask the question you are dreading the most. "And then?" "What, you want something else? Dessert, perhaps?" "No." God, he's really not that smart. "And then, what happens?" You're not afraid to be alone. Why would you be afraid? It's all you remember to be, of the one-hour memory of yourself. No. You're afraid of the water, of the darkness under it, of the weapon strapped on Lachlan's thigh. But being alone isn't scary. It's stupid. Because //being alone means being defenseless.// [[Next.|0.5]]

<<set $emotional += 3>><<set $genuine += 2>> "So, how are you feeling? Are you alright? Should I call the doctor immediately?" "Well, I almost died." You fingers start to shake, so you clench them into a fist. "So, I'm not feeling so well." When you start to speak again, your words are preceded by a shaky breath, and a lot louder than you anticipated. "And I'm on a strange boat, sitting in front of a dangerous armed soldier with no mean to protect myself and no idea of what's going on!" The words echo in the room, before a heavy silence settles. The two of you stare at each other, his ocean (cold, suffocating, painful) blue eyes only intensifying the anger you feel toward him. "Do you know what I find strange?" The man says, calmly. "That an eight-year-old is scared to death, but never, not once, calls for her parents." You shudder at his words. "And not only did this kid survive something so horrible on $his own, but also $he managed to know my profession in just a few moments." This is what he got from your outburst? He may be hearing a voice inside your head, but he's definitely the crazy one. "Who the hell are you people?" "I'm Lachlan. And it's not nice to talk this way to the one who saved you." You're taken aback by his remark. He's right, he saved you. But why do you feel so angry at him? //Danger.// Why do you feel so threatened? It doesn't matter, not really. You're on his boat, at his mercy. You have to know. You clear your throat, trying to not sound so emotional as you ask the most dreadful of questions. "What happens now? You saved me, but what's next for me?" [[Next.|0.5]]

<<set $emotional -= 1>><<set $genuine -= 3>><<set $denial += 2>> "I'm fine. Perfectly fine. Why wouldn't I be fine, should be the real question." You answer him but continue to eye the lamp, swinging back and forth, and you imagine the boat, and the water. The cold, stabbing water- "Look at me." The man catches your attention. You finally look him in the eye, and his ocean (cold, suffocating, painful) blue eyes stare at your $eye_color ones. His brows furrows at your look. "That's a lot of fine. And a lot of sarcasm… It's normal for a child to be scared." You look down at yourself, your small stature reflected on the metallic table. There's some dried blood on the side of your face, next to the bandage that covers half your head. Unusual for a child would be an understatement. You look crazy right now. You might be crazy too, considering there is a voice inside your head. //Danger.// Yeah, yeah. You know. You should probably do something about it instead of focusing on how //fine// you are. "Well, to be fair, Mr. Know-it-all, you're a soldier, on a boat, in the middle of the ocean. How many children do you actually meet so that you know what's normal and what's not?" He openly laughs at that; the corner of his eyes wrinkle, telling you that he's older than what you first thought. His outburst echoes in the metallic room, mocking you. Well, you always knew you were hilarious but it's obvious you're missing some background on this joke. Or rather, you're missing background in general, since you have amnesia. Maybe you're the joke. "I know more than most, trust me." He chuckles again at his words. "I'm Lachlan, by the way. Mr. Know-it-all is my middle name." "Glad you think I'm funny, Lachlan. Does that mean you'll let me live as a jokester?" "I'll let you live even without the jokes." He clearly sees the doubt you feel and leans forward to look at you closely. "I've saved you. Why would I hurt you?" Because you're the danger the voice inside your head keeps talking about. But that's not something you'll really tell him. "So what will you do? With me?" You take a shaky breath. "What happens now?" [[Next.|0.5]]

When your eyes open again, you are alone in your bed, enveloped by the warm light of the early sun. For a few minutes, your body still experiences the rocking waves of the ocean, and the buzzing still present in your ears. You reach for the painkiller pills and the glass of water, carefully placed on your nigh stand for easy access and gulp the medication down. You get up from the bed, your bedroom empty enough that you don’t have to worry about hitting something even though your eyes are barely open and sit down at your desk. The open notebook and pen awaits you, and you quickly start scrambling down your dream. When your pen stops moving, you know that that it is over and that the dream turned into incomprehensible bits and pieces, linked by feelings you can’t quite pinpoint. You look back at your notes, massaging your hand, not sore from exercise but from the tight grip holding the pen, and try to make sense of it. The same uncomfortable feeling washes over you, the writing familiarly yours but the content foreign to you. You don’t remember meeting Lachlan, or life before him. It would be truer to say that you don’t remember much of anything before your ninth year on this earth. And by that time, Lachlan was already a familiar presence and the Academy the only place in your world. \ <<if $trauma_mute is true>> You lost your voice that very day as well. <<cycle "$mute" autoselect>><<option "Although, you eventually recovered your voice, you still sometimes struggle with this issue on bad days." 1>><<option "Unfortunately, you never recovered your voice. But you learned to live with it." 2>><</cycle>><</if>> [[Next.|0.7]]

Choose your <b>gender</b>: You are <<cycle "$gender" autoselect>> <<option "a woman" female>> <<option "a man" male>> <<option "non-binary">> <</cycle>>. Choose your <b>pronouns</b>: <<cycle "$he" autoselect>> <<option "she/her" she>> <<option "he/him" he>> <<option "they/them" they>> <</cycle>>. [[End Customization Identity.|CC]]

Your <b>eyes</b> are <<cycle "$eye_color" autoselect>> <<option "grey">><<option "light blue">> <<option "dark blue">> <<option "green">> <<option "dark green">> <<option "hazel">> <<option "light brown">> <<option "dark brown">> <<option "black">> <</cycle>>. [[Next.|skin]]

Your <b>skin</b> is <<cycle "$skin" autoselect>> <<option "pale">><<option "fair">> <<option "tan">> <<option "olive">> <<option "light brown">> <<option "brown">> <<option "dark brown">> <<option "dark">> <</cycle>>. [[Next.|height]]

You are <<cycle "$height" autoselect>> <<option "very short">><<option "short">> <<option "average">> <<option "tall">> <<option "very tall">><</cycle>>. [[End Customization Physique|CC]]

The two men don’t say a word as you look at your surroundings. It doesn't take you a long time to take the tour of the small room you find yourself in. Metallic walls, a table and two chairs, plus the one who are sitting on. You push away some wet hair stuck on your forehead as you try to see more of what's hidden in the dark corners, but you're distracted by the swinging light above your head, which blinds you every time it swings your way. It follows the movements of the... boat you're on? The unhappy man whispers to the other. "It's happening again." Without waiting for an answer, the man goes up and leaves the room. You focus on your left, following the path of the man, and to where the door -the only exit- is. It is mostly hidden in the darkness, the light still illuminating your side of the room. In a few seconds, the light will blind the other side of the room, giving you a moment to make your escape. But to go where? The other man stares at you, eyes unwavering, watching you watching the door. He's gouging your reaction. Your fingers clutch the arms of the chair, although your brain goes through several scenarios to escape him, this room, and this boat, they all end up in failures. After all, how is an eight-year-old child supposed to win against an adult man? [[Next.|0.4]]

<<set $trauma_mute to true>> You try to open your mouth again, and articulate words, any words, with no success. You frown, looking down at yourself. What is happening? You instinctively grab your throat, as if to reassure you nothing is wrong. You try again, and again, to form even a sound but the only thing that makes its way through is a whine. "Well, that's new." The man takes a radio stuck in his jean and static noise fill the silence of the room. "Nemo, bring the doctor for the kid now." "We have a lot of people who need-" "I said now, Nemo." He cuts him off. "And don't make me repeat myself." "…Fine." You can feel the irritation in his voice. "$che better be worth it, Lachlan. It's not just your ass on the line." A few minutes later, after you gave up on trying to answer to Lachlan, a woman barges in without knocking first. Tall, beautiful, with red curls that matches the blood stains on her pale skin and green forest eyes. You recognize Nemo's silhouette behind her. “What’s wrong?” “The kid is not talking anymore.” The doctor walks up to you, shining a bright light in your eyes and restrains you when you squirm away from it. Lachlan steps in and pushes the light away. "That's enough, Carla." “I have to do my job. There's others waiting on me. And I warned you, $he wwent under serious trauma, physically and mentally… There’s bound to have repercussion.” “Well, do something about it.” “I was a field medic not a magician, asshole." Carla snapped. She kneels next to you, and you see kindness in her eyes, although nothing in her behavior seems to suggest that. "I did a check-up earlier, but the kid needs a real one, with tests and-" "Sure." Lachlan scoffs, interrupting her and you see Carla tighten her fist. "Let me get out an MRI machine out of my pocket." "$che might be physically fine but there's obviously trauma to process. Selective muteness can come from various reason and ultimately, $his brain will do anything to shield $him from more pain. If, like I suspect, the two things are related..." She turns her eyes away from you and gets up to face Lachlan. "There’s no way of knowing if $he can actually speak again.” You feel left out of the conversation, even though they are talking about you. What’s the trauma they were talking about? The fall or the drowning? Perhaps both. Your near-death encounter certainly counts. You can’t help but think there’s something more. The more you think about the piece of the puzzle that is missing, the louder the buzzing becomes. You shriek and clutch your head, wishing for it to stop. Lachlan jumps of his seat and kneels next to you, you can hear him argue with the doctor, but no words can make it through the loudness of the sound overwhelming you. Lachlan grabs your hand covering your ears, and makes you look at him. He talks but you only see his lips moving. You can only imagine what he is saying, as two blue orbs eye you with worry. After a few minutes, you feel your breathing pattern mimic his and the buzzing slowly disappear. Lachlan never let’s go of your hands however. “Well, that’s just dandy.” Nemo sighs. “What happens now?” [[Next.|0.5d]]

"What do you think happens, Nemo?" Lachlan says, eyes still fixated on yours. "I know this is sudden, kid but you have to make a choice. We can drop you off at our next stop, bring you to a place for kids in your situation." You eye the man. Kids in your situation. He means orphan. Even with your wonky memory you know what happens to them. You've seen the movies; you've read the books. They won't do much and you'll be on your own. "Or you can come with me. I can help you. We have good doctors." He stands up from his chair and gives you space. "I was like you once, and these people took me in. They took care of me, of people like me who have nothing else. They give me something, that I can give you." You open your mouth to ask what, but once again, no sounds come out of your throat. Nonetheless, Lachlan understood you. "A reason to fight." He takes your hands in his. "I know firsthand what it's like to wake up and feel like you have no one and nothing on your side. But if you come to the Academy, then you'd have us. People who can understand you because we went through the same things as you. People who can help you. You'd have a family, one who'll fight with you." //Danger.// "What do you think, kid?" //''Danger.''// <<if $emotional gt 0>> You untighten your fist to wipe a tear on your cheek. You can't help but think that maybe, somewhere out there, there are people who are waiting for you to come home. Maybe they can help you find them? Or maybe they'll be the Academy will be your family? In any case, you already know your answer. <<else>> It sounds too good to be true. It probably is, as the voice keeps repeating the same word. You untighten your fist to wipe a tear on your cheek. Your brain shifts from wishing your family awaits you and knowing that you don't have a family, and perhaps you never did. It's a miracle you even survived the drowning and the storm, but if you wished to try to find them, they'll surely help you... <</if>> You ignore the voice - //danger// - to reply. A movement so small it can barely be called a nod, but still expressing your wish to come and stay with him. How wrong you were. [[Next.|0.6]]

You do your morning routine absentmindedly and find yourself glancing at the notebook far too often, poking your cheek as you brush your teeth and waiting for the piece of paper to get up and give you the answer you are looking for. You snicker at the idea. The notebook standing on stick figures legs, a twin to Lady Cassandra. Your amusing thoughts are interrupting by the only thing that stayed with you your entire life. //Front door.// You promptly let go of the toothbrush which clicks against the sink, foam still on the side of your mouth, and eye the various areas in your apartment stashed with weapons. A reminder of your Academy days and one of Lachlan’s most important rules: always have a weapon at arm’s length. You hear a knock, followed by some rattling sounds as the intruder tries to open the door. You grab the small knife hidden under the bathroom towels and tiptoe your way along the walls and toward the front door. You look through the peephole to see the person who dares try to rob you so early in the morning when you recognize the curly brown mane and the green eyes underneath. You slowly open the door. “Jeremiah?” <<if $mute is 2>> You sign with your free hand,<<else>>You ask,<</if>> eyebrows raised so high you feel the wrinkles in your forehead. The man in question smiles at your sights but steps back as he sees the weapon and clutches his heart with his hand. “What the hell is wrong with you?” “What is wrong with me?” He repeats, mimicking your surprised look. He brings his hand to his face, and the redness of his cheek’s contrasts against his fair freckled skin. “What’s wrong with you?” You can feel yourself relax at the familiar presence, making your way to the living room and carefully placing the sharp knife on the coffee table. “Me? I’m not the one trying to rob people at dawn!” “I didn’t…” He slowly makes his way to you and falls down on your couch. “I just wanted to surprise you, but I didn’t want to wake you up.” You sit down next to him, and he shoves a box at you. “Well…I’d say you did a fantastic job at that” You eye the box and open it slowly. “A cupcake?” “Yeah. A cupcake.” He gestures at the letters on the sweet treat. “It’s for Hope’s birthday. She’s eight today.” *<<button "You haven’t seen Jeremiah a lot in those eight years. You used to be close at the Academy, but after that... To see him now is quite the surprise." "0.7a">><</button>> *<<button "Jeremiah has been your friends for years, but lately, your relationship became more distant... To see him now is quite the surprise." "0.7b">><</button>> *<<button "You are still very close to Jeremiah... But you made plans to see each other tonight, not in the morning. To see him now is quite the surprise." "0.7c">><</button>>

<<set $jeremiah to 20>>Why did you stop being friends? *<<button "Being close to him brought everything back. It was too hard, I had to stay away." "0.8">><</button>> *<<button "I wanted to make a clean break, start a new life and leave everything behind. That also meant him." "0.8">><</button>> *<<button "My relationship with Jeremiah was codependency for survival, nothing else. Once we got out, I had no reason to stay in contact." "0.8">><</button>> *<<button "For years, I’ve loved him. Seeing him with Hailey was just too difficult, and I had to get away to move on." "0.7d">><<set $j_love to 1>><</button>>

<<set $jeremiah to 51>>Why did you become more distant? *<<button "I managed it until now, but with the dreams, being close to him meant reliving everything again. " "0.8">><</button>> *<<button "I just needed some time away for work. I just started a new job, and I wanted to focus on it." "0.8">><</button>> *<<button "I realized our lives became so different. I don’t know if I still have a place in his life." "0.8">><</button>> *<<button "For years, I’ve loved him. I tried to keep our friendship first, but I recently decided to move on from these feelings." "0.7d">><<set $j_love to 1>><</button>>

<<set $jeremiah to 76>>How did you stay so close after all these years? *<<button "He's like a brother, our relationship was forged by what we went through together. He’s part of your world for better and for worse." "0.8">><</button>> *<<button "He’s the only constant in your world. At this point, you don’t know how to function without him." "0.8">><</button>> *<<button "For years now, you have loved him. Although you know your relationship will never be more than what it is now, you can’t stop your feelings." "0.7d">><<set $j_love to 1>><</button>>

Seeing him again brought up all these memories of your one sided love. Have you moved on from it? *<<button "Yes, I finally have successfully move on." "0.8">><<set $j_love to 2>><</button>> *<<button "Yes, I have, or so I try to convince myself" "0.8">><<set $j_love to 1>><</button>> *<<button "No, I don’t even try anymore." "0.8">><<set $j_love to 1>><</button>> *<<button "No, and I tried everything I could." "0.8">><<set $j_love to 1>><</button>> *<<button "No, and I haven’t even tried to." "0.8">><<set $j_love to 1>><</button>>

“I bought it because it reminds me of… Well, you remember.” You put the gift aside for now, a painfully sweet memories of times long past and glance at him again. He’s a lot older than he was back then, but his eyes shine like they never did before. Time did wonder for him, you realize, even the few lines and gray hairs suit him. <<if $jeremiah gte 75>>[[Next.|0.8c]]\ <<elseif $jeremiah gte 50>>[[Next.|0.8b]]\ <<else>>[[Next.|0.8a]]\ <</if>>

“How is Hope?" You ask. The last time you saw her she could barely talk and bumped into everything in her way. She didn’t cry much, though… She found it rather funny. “She’s fine. She’s exited for her birthday. A typical eight years old, you know.” You don’t dare to say that you don't know, in fact. He gets a picture of her out of his worn-out leather wallet and shows it to you. “That's her...She saw some pictures and asked some questions. She’s curious, she wants to know more about you.” “She looks like Hailey.” You say, eyes still on the picture. Her brown skin is slightly lighter, and you see Jeremiah’s freckles on her nose, but the little girl is the spitting image of her mother. Dark curls, intense brown eyes, the same cupid lips. “Why is she curious about me?" “We told her you named her, that’s how it started.” He smiles at the picture. “And then, she found pictures and she asked more and more questions. She loves it when I talk about us, the things we did when we were young. Nothing about the academy... just our shenanigans.” “Jer...” You sigh. None of this explains anything. “Why are you here? Why talk about us?” “Because you were -you are- important to me. To all of us.” He frowns, as if it was obvious. <<if $j_love gte 0>> The words you’ve waited to hear for so long sting as they’re not meant the way you wished they were.<</if>> “Oscar and Luisa still talk about you as if you were coming through that door any second now.” He pulls and twirls his fingers, his nervous habit, while waiting for your answer. After a few seconds, he sighs. “They’re the reason I’m here actually. They want to invite you to dinner tonight. For Hope’s birthday.” “I…” Before you can answer, he raises his hand. “You don’t have to answer right now. Just think about it. If you still don’t want to come, we’ll understand. It’s just… We miss you.” He pauses until you look at him in the eyes. “I miss you.” [[Next.|0.9]]

“It’s not that I dislike seeing you, but… Why are you here?” “Well, thank you very much. Oscar and Luisa want to do a birthday dinner tonight with everyone there.” He looks at you pointedly. “Which means you're supposed to come this time.” You avoid his gaze and continue to stare at the box. You have missed a fair share of dinners lately, although you don't really want to explain why.<<if j_love 1>> How are you supposed to say to your married best friend that you’re in love with him? Do you say it at all?<</if>> “You still could have used your phone.” “Well, Hailey was badgering me about the fact that we haven’t seen you in a while, so I told her I’ll come invite you myself.” He gestures at the box that you keep staring at. “Plus, you wouldn’t have a cupcake.” “I’ll try to be there tonight, but work has been hectic lately… Plus, I’ve been seeing a therapist lately.” “You are?” He seems surprised by the news, which isn’t surprising. For years, you’ve refused his and Oscar’s many attempts to get help. “Yeah, the dreams are getting worse and worse. So, I said, fuck it. If I have to suffer, might as well know what from.” “Yeah, it’s good. It’s great, even. I hope it helps you.” He eyes you and seems to want to ask for more but doesn’t dare to. “Don’t worry that much, I’m fine. It’s just some dreams screwing up with my sleep schedule.” That and an absurd amount of trauma you’ve been ignoring. Jeremiah senses your thoughts and makes an obvious attempt to change the subject. “Hope will be happy to see you. She misses you.” [[Next.|0.9]]

“Why are you here anyway?” You ask, hesitating between eating the cupcake now or keeping it for later. “Oh, I don’t know, it’s my daughter’s birthday." Jeremiah says, full of sass as always. "I thought I’ll make sure that her favorite person ever is still coming tonight. Oscar’s at five?” “I’ll try my hardest to not disappoint her.” You sigh, running a hand down your face. “But work has been hectic lately.” “How are you?” He eyes you with obvious concern. “The dreams still bothering you?” “Yeah. I’m working on it with that therapist I talked about." You glance at the bedroom, where the dreams and the notebook await you. "Apparently if I can figure out what they’re showing me, I can make them stop... Maybe.” “Well, it’s better than not doing anything about it.” He says softly, as if to not offend you. “Is it, though?" You answer in the same tone. "They say ignorance is bliss.” “Well, they also say laughter is the best medicine, but when you're having a heart attack you don't call a comedian.” You can’t help the chuckle. “True enough.” He takes your hand in his and squeeze it. “I’m here, if you want to talk about it.” <<if $j_love is 1>> Your heart jumps out as you feel his warm hand on top of yours. You take in a small breath and smile back at him.<</if>> “Well, considering how much I’m paying that therapist, I think I’ll stick to talking to her. We wouldn’t want that money to go to waste.” It’s his turn to laugh, and the laughter cleansing the room of the heavy feeling. “No, we wouldn’t.” You both take a moment to enjoy each other’s company. “Hope will be happy to see you. She misses you.” [[Next.|0.9]]

“I have to go to work now, I can’t afford to be late with the new boss.” He walks out of your apartment but turns around as he opens the front door. “That knife… What would you have done if I was someone else? Like a client or colleague of yours.<<if $jeremiah lte 49>> I heard you have a new job. I could have been a client or something.<<else>> I could have been a client or something.<</if>>" *<<button "I'd be one very poor hacker if I didn't manage to keep my location safe from others." "0.10">><<set $job to "hacker">><</button>> *<<button "Who would want to come to the house of a street fighter if it’s not to have their ass kicked?" "0.10">><<set $job to "street fighter">><</button>> *<<button "I have an office with a shiny //private detective// plaque for a reason, clients meet me there." "0.10">><<set $job to "private detective">><</button>> *<<button "I'm an art smuggler...My knife is preventing either a robbery or an arrest." "0.10">><<set $job to "art thief">><</button>>

“Why, what did you think I would have done?” When he doesn't answer you, you both know what he thought you would have done, the same thing he would have done in your position. You can leave the Academy, but it never really leaves you after all. “Sorry, I didn't mean-" He runs a hand in his curls and sighs. "I just wanted to surprise you, but it seems I kind of made a mess of things. “Things were messy long before you came, Jer.” “Yeah...I hope I’ll see you tonight.” Jeremiah takes his leave, and you’re alone with your thoughts again. Hope is eight years old. Which means it’s been more than eight years since you’ve left. The same age as you were in those dreams today. Is that a coincidence? Karma? Fate? //Danger.// Whatever it is, you wished it would stay away from you and her. [[Next.|EndDemo]]

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/EiMFBho.png" alt="Chapter 1"> ''A regular day at work.''

@@.chaptertitle;The end...@@ For now. For progress reports and updates, you can follow me on <a href="https://ekgfiction.tumblr.com/" class="link-external" tabindex="0">my tumblr</a>. I welcome any suggestions or feedback! Thank you for being part of this journey with me. - Elena

<<if $job is "hacker">>[[Chapter 1|Chapter1a]]\ <<elseif $job is "street fighter">>[[Chapter 1|Chapter1b]]\ <<elseif $job is "private detective">>[[Chapter 1|Chapter1c]]\ <<else>> [[Chapter 1|Chapter1d]]<</if>> <<if settings.achievements>><<notify 3s>>Prologue completed.<</notify>><</if>>