the phoenix

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<<set $gamechapter to "start">><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="coolstats">// welcome, phoenix.//</span> <<button "new game.">> <<goto prologue>> </div><</button>>    <<button "load game.">> <<script>>UI.saves()<</script>> </div><</button>>    <<button "content warnings.">> <<goto triggers>> </div><</button>>    <<button "indicators.">> <<goto indicators>> </div><</button>></div>

<div id="container"> <div id="header"> <span id="header-text" onclick="toggle(this)"></span> <div class="menutoggle"><span id="zero" onclick="toggle(this)"><i class="fa fa-bars" aria-hidden="true"></i> </span> <span id="one" style="bottom:-180px;"> <div class="menu-flex"> </div> </span></div> </div> <div id="story"> <div id="passages">  </div> </div> </div>  <script>function toggle() { var x = document.getElementById("one"); if (!x.style.bottom ||x.style.bottom === '-180px') { x.style.bottom = '0px'; } else { x.style.bottom = '-180px'; } } $("#story").click(function() { var x = document.getElementById("one"); if (x.style.bottom == '0px') { x.style.bottom = '-180px'; } }); $("#one").click(function(event) { event.stopPropagation(); }); </script>

<<replace ".menu-flex">><<include "menu-flex">><</replace>> <<replace "#header-text">><<include "header-text">><</replace>>

<script>var myDiv = document.getElementById('passages'); myDiv.scrollTop = 0;</script>

<<link '<div class="menu-item"><b>00</b> go back</div>'>><<run Engine.backward()>><</link>> <<link '<div class="menu-item"><b>01</b> settings</div>'>><<script>>UI.settings()<</script>><</link>> <<link '<div class="menu-item"><b>02</b> profile</div>' 'aboutyou'>><</link>> <<link '<div class="menu-item"><b>03</b> saves</div>'>><<script>>UI.saves()<</script>><</link>>

the phoenix / $gamechapter

<<set $gamechapter = "start">> <<set $name = "">> <<set $surname = "">> <<set $genre = "">> <<set $cereal = "">> <<set $videotype = "">> <<set $vegetarian = false>> <<set $vegan = false>> <<set $customisation = false>> <<set $hairtype = "">> <<set $hairlength = "">> <<set $haircolour = "">> <<set $eyecolour = "">> <<set $skincolour = "">> <<set $earpiercing = false>> <<set $freckles = false>> <<set $nosepiercing = false>> <<set $scar = false>> <<set $tattoo = false>> <<set $birthmark = false>> <<set $beautymark = false>> <<set $style = "">> <<set $height = "">> <<set $asexual = false>> <<set $touchaverse = false>> <<set $he = "">> <<set $He = "">> <<set $him = "">> <<set $his = "">> <<set $His = "">> <<set $hers = "">> <<set $himself = "">> <<set $pc_singular = false>> <<set $person = "">> <<set $gender = "">> <<set $child = "">> <<set $Mx = "">> <<set $opponentgender = "">> <<set $ahim = "">> <<set $ahe = "">> <<set $Ahe = "">> <<set $ahis = "">> <<set $Ahis = "">> <<set $ahers = "">> <<set $ahimself = "">> <<set $agender = "">> <<set $atitle = "">> <<set $aman = "">> <<set $abf = "">> <<set $lhim = "">> <<set $lhe = "">> <<set $Lhe = "">> <<set $lhis = "">> <<set $Lhis = "">> <<set $lhers = "">> <<set $lhimself = "">> <<set $lgender = "">> <<set $ltitle = "">> <<set $lman = "">> <<set $lbf = "">> <<set $lname = "">> <<set $lsingular = true>> <<set $alexmet = false>> <<set $alexfeelings = "">> <<set $alexromance = 0>> <<set $alexfakedate to false>> <<set $afdcheck to "">> <<set $jamiemet = false>> <<set $jamiefeelings = "">> <<set $jamieromance = 0>> <<set $wendymet = false>> <<set $wendyhear = false>> <<set $wendyromance = 0>> <<set $minmet = false>> <<set $minhear = false>> <<set $minromance = 0>> <<set $minshowaround = "">> <<set $ringknow = false>> <<set $lromance = 0>> <<set $lsituation = false>> <<set $outgoing = 50>> <<set $reserved = 50>> <<set $serious = 50>> <<set $humorous = 50>> <<set $casual = 50>> <<set $professional = 50>> <<set $arrogant = 50>> <<set $humble = 50>> <<set $kind = 50>> <<set $rude = 50>> <<set $offense = 20>> <<set $defence = 20>> <<set $tactics = 20>> <<set $instinct = 20>> <<set $arms = 20>> <<set $legs = 20>> <<set $health = 100>> <<set $publicrp = 50>> <<set $questionignore = 0>> <<set $alex = 50>> <<set $jamie = 50>> <<set $wendy = 50>> <<set $min = 50>> <<set $mfeelings = "">> <<set $dfeelings = "">> <<set $persona = "">> <<set $personastrength = 10>> <<set $organised = false>> <<set $olympicsreason = 0>> <<set $likereply = false>> <<set $tweet = "">> <<set $goodfashion = false>> <<set $mummiss = false>> <<set $mumcome = false>> <<set $continueon = false>> <<set $checkphone = false>> <<set $optiona = false>> <<set $optionb = false>> <<set $optionc = false>> <<set $optiond = false>> <<set $optione = false>> <<set $optionf = false>> <<set $convooption = 0>> <<set $timespend = 0>> <<set $trainingsession = 0>> <<set $mediapresence = 0>> <<set $peopletalk = 0>> <<set $workout = 0>> <<set $alexdefend = true>> <<set $nicknamefeelings = "">> <<set $javier = "">> <<set $partyinvite = false>> <<set $instagrampost = true>> <<set $instagramposttype = "">> <<set $misc = "">> <<set $cuisine = "">>

<div style="text-align: center;"><span class = "coolstats">//stats.//</span> <<button "about you.">> <<goto aboutyou>> </div><</button>>    <<button "relationships.">> <<goto relationships>> </div><</button>>    <<button "back to game">> <<script>>Save.autosave.load()<</script>> <</button>> <hr /> <div style="text-align: center;">//''personality.''//</div> <<opposed_stat "outgoing" "reserved" $outgoing >> <<opposed_stat "humble" "arrogant" $humble >> <<opposed_stat "kind" "rude" $kind >> <<opposed_stat "serious" "humorous" $serious >> <<opposed_stat "professional" "casual" $professional >> <hr \><div style="text-align: center;">//''taekwondo.''// ''arm use: ''<progress @value="$arms" max="100"></progress> $arms% ''legs use: ''<progress @value="$legs" max="100"></progress> $legs% '' tacticals: ''<progress @value="$tactics" max="100"></progress> $tactics% ''instincts: ''<progress @value="$instinct" max="100"></progress> $instinct% ''offenses: ''<progress @value="$offense" max="100"></progress> $offense% ''defence.: ''<progress @value="$defence" max="100"></progress> $defence% <hr \><div style="text-align: center;">//''health.''// <progress @value="$health" max="100"></progress> $health%</div>

<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="coolstats">// relationships.//</span> <<button "about you.">> <<goto aboutyou>> </div><</button>>    <<button "stats.">> <<goto stats>> </div><</button>>    <<button "back to game">> <<script>>Save.autosave.load()<</script>> <</button>> <hr /> <<if $alexmet is true>>''Alex Chrimele'' //The Coach// <progress @value="$alex" max="100"></progress>$alex% <<if $alexfeelings is "crush">> You have a crush on Alex. <</if>><<else>> You haven't met this RO yet.<</if>> <<if $jamiemet is true>>''Jamie Franco'' //The Reporter// <progress @value="$jamie" max="100"></progress>$jamie%<<if $jamiefeelings is "crush">> You have a crush on Jamie. <</if>><<if $jname is "Soulmate">> Jamie calls you "Soulmate" because you two are quite the opposite.<<elseif $jname is "Regina George">> Jamie calls you Regina George, from Mean Girls. No points for guessing why.<<elseif $jname is "Rachel Berry">> Jamie calls you Rachel Berry, after the egotistical Glee character.<<elseif $jname is "Giggles">> Jamie calls you Giggles, because of your personality.<<elseif $jname is "Sweetcakes">> Jamie calls you Sweetcakes. What you get for trying to be nice, you suppose. <<elseif $jname is "Sparky">> Jamie calls you Sparky, based on your outgoing personality.<<elseif $jname is "Karate Kid">> Jamie calls you Karate Kid. He knows you do Taekwondo, he's just annoying.<<else>><</if>><<else>> You haven't met this RO yet.<</if>> <<if $wendymet is true>>''Wendy Morgan'' //The Influencer// <progress @value="$wendy" max="100"></progress>$wendy% <<elseif $wendyhear is true>>''Wendy Morgan'' //The Influencer// You're watched a few of her videos.<<else>>You haven't met this RO yet.<</if>> <<if $minmet is true>>''Min Dhakal'' //The Local// <progress @value="$min" max="100"></progress>$min% <<elseif $minhear is true>>''The Lead Singer of Crying Lightning'' //You haven't learnt their name yet.//<<else>> You haven't met this RO yet.<</if>> <hr \><div style="text-align: center;">//''public relationship. ''//<<button "?">><<script>>UI.alert("How the general public feel about you. What they prefer differs every day.");<</script>><</button>></div> <progress @value="$publicrp" max="100"></progress></div>

<<widget "opposed_stat">><<nobr>> <div class="statBar"> <div style="float:right"> $args[1] <<= 100-$args[2]>>% </div> <<= '<div class="statLeftBg" style="width:'+$args[2]+'%"> </div>'>> <div> $args[0] $args[2]%</div> </div> <</nobr>><</widget>>

<<widget "fair_minus">><<fair_plus $args[0] -$args[1]>><</widget>> <<widget "opposed_stat">><<nobr>> <div class="statBar"> <div style="float:right"> $args[1] <<= 100-$args[2]>>% </div> <<= '<div class="statLeftBg" style="width:'+$args[2]+'%"> </div>'>> <div> $args[0] $args[2]%</div> </div> <</nobr>><</widget>>

The art of the hand and foot. 태권도. Those letters are the first ones you see every morning as you attempt to shake the fogginess out of your mind. They’re emblazoned on a poster your parents bought you when you first got the apartment. At the time, the only other piece of decoration you had was a nearly dead houseplant. It was a suitable gift, considering for as long as you can remember taekwondo has been your life. It sounds cheesy, that’s for certain. A typical story for an athlete: one where they’ve lived and breathed their sport for their whole life. Doesn’t make it any less true though. You rub the sleep out of your eyes, mentally running through your schedule today. Breakfast, training, then finding a way to spend the time. Knowing you, you’ll most likely end up doing something related to the martial art. Maybe catch up on the ITF news? You scoff a little at that thought. You refuse to believe that anyone has ever read the news from that organisation. With a loud sigh, you stretch your arms above your head, relishing the pull of your back muscles. After today’s training session, you’ll probably end up wishing you didn’t have them with how much pain you’ll be in. ''[[That's most definitely a problem for later you though.|corridor]]''

You peel yourself out of the agonisingly warm bed, and pad out into the corridor. The walls are mostly barren, with only two things hanging up. One of them is your pride and joy. Your black belt certificate. Moving to stand in front of it, you read the words that made your dreams of being a professional in taekwondo that little bit more real. This certifies that.... <hr \> //''[[Charlie|surname][$name to "Charlie"]]''// //''[[Rose|surname][$name to "Rose"]]''// //''[[Daniel|surname][$name to "Daniel"]]''// <<textbox "$name" "Enter a name.">> ''[[next|surname]]''

Please enter your subjective pronoun (for example, he, she, they). <<textbox "$he" "">> Please enter your objective pronoun (for example, him, her, them). <<textbox "$him" " ">> Please enter your possessive pronoun (for example his, her, their). <<textbox "$his" " ">> Please enter your possessive personal pronoun (for example his, hers, theirs). <<textbox "$hers" "">> Please enter your reflexive pronoun (for example himself, herself, themself). <<textbox "$himself" "">> ''[[next|singular]]''

//$name $surname has achieved the standards required to grade as a black belt.// Alongside it, a picture of you when you were a lot younger. It features a… <hr \>''[[Young girl.|pronouns][$person to "woman"; $Mx to "Ms"; $child to "daughter"; $gender to "female"; $opponentgender to "female"]]'' ''[[Young boy.|pronouns][$person to "man"; $Mx to "Mr"; $child to "son"; $gender to "male"; $opponentgender to "male"]]'' ''[[Young child, who fought in girls competitions.|pronouns][$person to "person"; $Mx to "Mx"; $child to "child"; $gender to "non binary"; $opponentgender to "female"]]'' ''[[Young child, who fought in boys competitions.|pronouns][$person to "person"; $Mx to "Mx"; $child to "child"; $gender to "non binary"; $opponentgender to "male"]]''

Enter your surname: //''<div class="choice">[[Peters|gender][$surname to "Peters"]]</div>''// //''<div class="choice">[[Smith|gender][$surname to "Smith"]]</div>''// //''<div class="choice">[[Singh|gender][$surname to "Singh"]]</div>''// <<textbox "$surname" "Enter a surname.">> ''[[next|gender]]''

Do your pronouns work better in the singular (he goes) or plural (they go)? <<set $He = $he.toUpperFirst()>> <<set $His = $his.toUpperFirst()>><hr \>''[[Singular.|check][$pc_singular to true]]'' ''[[Plural.|check]]''

So, your pronouns are: $he /$him /$his, as in: "$He <<if $pc_singular is true>>looks<<else>>look<</if>> at the press, shaking $his head at the ones who stare at $him." <hr \> ''[[Yep!|meorg]]'' ''[[Nope, let me retry.|pronouns]]''

Gap-toothed and grinning, you’re proudly brandishing the first trophy you ever won. Sure, it was in a pattern competition and not sparring, but it was your first win nonetheless. A small smile tugs at your lips from the memory. Albeit faded at the edges, you can still faintly hear the cheering of the crowd, the cold feel of trophy metal on your hands. The thrill of winning was a high you’ve been chasing ever since. Moving on from the past, you swing open the door to your bathroom. <div id="bathroom"> ''<<link "It's messy. You're not the most organised person.">>''<<replace "#bathroom">> Various lotions and medicines are littered across the marble counter. The organization system that you had attempted to put into place had long become defunct, and you had ended up putting things wherever felt right. What matters most is you know where everything is. Fishing your toothbrush out the pile, you squeeze a healthy dollop of toothpaste onto the bristles, and begin brushing your teeth. ''[[next|bathroom]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "You like to stay organised, and your bathroom reflects that.">></strong><<replace "#bathroom">><<set $organised to true>> The few products that had been left out were in clean, straight lines. Most of them were stored in their respective cabinets up above the toilet. Beside the sink is a small, cylindrical container, holding only your toothbrush and toothpaste. You pick up the former and squeeze a healthy dollop of toothpaste onto the bristles. Then, you begin brushing your teeth. ''[[next|bathroom]]''<</replace>></div><</link>>

After your little self inspection, and having finished brushing, you determine that you look good enough to finally leave the bathroom. Breakfast was due. <<if $organised is true>>Your kitchen is as well organised as your bathroom. The only things out are the essentials, like your salt and pepper bottles. Ripened fruit sit prettily in a woven basket, ready to be eaten. The counter glints in the early morning light, its marble finishing spotless.<<else>>Similar to your bathroom, your kitchen is in a state of disarray. Various sauces and condiment bottles are stood up on every counter, most of them close to empty. A towel is limply lying across the hob, remnants from when you tried to clean it. <</if>> Quickly, you realise your delusions of being a functional adult who makes a healthy breakfast every morning were, indeed, unrealistic. Before you could even process it, you stride over to your cabinet, and rummage around for your favourite box of cereal. ''<div class="choice">[[Frosted Flakes|mothercontext][$cereal to "Frosted Flakes"]]</div>''''<div class="choice">[[Krave|mothercontext][$cereal to "Krave"]]</div>''''<div class="choice">[[Rice Krispies|mothercontext][$cereal to "Rice Krispies"]]</div>''''<div class="choice">[[Fruit Loops|mothercontext][$cereal to "Fruit Loops"]]</div>''''<div class="choice">[[Lucky Charms|mothercontext][$cereal to "Lucky Charms"]]</div>''''<div class="choice">[[Cornflakes|mothercontext][$cereal to "Cornflakes"]]</div>''

You look at what other defining features you have. <<checkbox "$earpiercing" false true>> You have an ear piercing. <<checkbox "$nosepiercing" false true>> You have a nose piercing. <<checkbox "$freck;es" false true>> You have freckles. <<checkbox "$scar" false true>> You have a visible scar. <<checkbox "$birthmark" false true>> You have a birthmark. <<checkbox "$beautymarks" false true>> You have beauty marks. <<set $customisation to true>> ''[[next|kitchen]]''

You gaze at your reflection in the mirror, admiring your ''<<cycle "$skincolour" autoselect>> <<option brown>> <<option ivory>> <<option umber>> <<option pale>> <<option "dark brown">> <<option fawn>> <<option olive>> <<option ebony>> <</cycle>>'' skin. After doing so, you catch your ''<<cycle "$eyecolour" autoselect>> <<option "light brown">> <<option "dark brown">> <<option "light blue">> <<option "dark blue">> <<option "light green">> <<option "dark green">> <<option hazel>> <<option grey>> <</cycle>>'' eyes, the shade as intense as usual. Soon, you move onto appraising other parts of yourself. <div id="hair"> ''<<link "Such as your hair.">>''<<replace "#hair">> Your eyes flit quickly to your hair. It's cut ''<<cycle "$hairlength" autoselect>> <<option short>> <<option "ear length">> <<option "chin length">> <<option "shoulder length">> <<option "chest length">> <<option "back length">> <<option "waist length">> <</cycle>>'' and is ''<<cycle "$hairtype" autoselect>> <<option wavy>> <<option curly>> <<option straight>> <<option "in braids">> <<option "in locs">> <<option "in a fro">> <<option kinky>> <</cycle>>''. What colour is your hair? [please do not capitalise.] <<textbox "$haircolour" "">>'' [[next|otherfeatures]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "Such as your bald head.">></strong><<replace "#hair">><<set $hairtype to "bald">> Having no hair saves you the hassle of tying it up, and also saves you money on shampoo and conditioner. Win win. ''[[next|otherfeatures]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "Such as your buzzcut.">></strong><<replace "#hair">><<set $hairtype to "buzzcut">> You run a quick hand over your head, feeling the fuzz of hair. ''[[next|otherfeatures]]''<</replace>></div><</link>>

Your coach would probably kill you for having such a non nutritional breakfast on a training day. Well, their version of killing someone, which is just giving such a disapproving look you briefly consider crawling into a hole and never returning. That’s a problem for later $name though. Pulling open a drawer, you grab the first spoon you see, plunging it into the cereal and taking a bite. It feels drier than normal in your mouth. Shit. You somehow forgot to add the milk. A sharp ring pulls you out of wallowing in your self created misery. You glance over to see your phone on the table, screen on and showing a caller ID. Briefly, you consider not answering, because you most likely still sound like a chain smoker from having just woken up. You lose that thought as soon as you process who actually is calling. Your mother. And, knowing how the two of them are, your mum is also most likely there. ''Melissa and Alice $surname.'' If you looked them up, you’d find countless articles on their multiple successes in their respective weight classes for taekwondo. Both talented fighters in their own right, they brang the nation's attention towards the sport with their wins tournament after tournament. The public frenzy around them only grew when they announced they were together. What could be sweeter than the two prides of a nation getting together? Nothing, apparently. Loved both by the press and the people, interviews with the pair racked up millions of views, and magazines with them on the front sold out in minutes. A real golden couple, what with their charming personalities and multiple medals. Well, that was how they were seen until the doping scandal came out. Your mothers, unsurprisingly, didn’t like to talk about it, so most of your information came from old news articles and press reports. From what you’d gathered, a whistle blower from inside team GB alerted the Olympic committee to possible doping offenses. After various stages of investigating and reports, the details of which you mostly skimmed over, the final report was released, and the allegations proven to be true. The guilty athletes? //None other than the golden pair themselves.// Predictably, the nation went wild over this news. Calls were made for their medals to be revoked, and some went as far as to say their citizenships should be removed for the shame they had brought to the country. The press did a complete 180, switching from praising the golden couple to throwing them under the bus. Typical. Tabloid articles were made, throwing out wild suggestions, the funniest of which saying the couple went on “doping dates” together. These rumours flourished until the pair made a statement after a week or so. where they admitted their guilt and announced they’d be stepping down from the spotlight. Later, the shared coach of the couple denounced them live, talking of how she thought they were “better than this” and “honest athletes”. That was the final nail in the coffin. The surname $surname is now a mostly infamous one, with people only knowing it for the doping scandal that rocked a nation. Its previous reputation as masters of Taekwondo have long been burnt to ashes. How do you feel about your parents' scandal? <hr \> ''[[You just don't understand why?|motherfeelings][$dfeelings to "why"]]'' ''[[There must be more to the story.|motherfeelings][$dfeelings to "curious"]]'' ''[[You're conflicted, to say the least.|motherfeelings][$dfeelings to "conflicted"]]'' ''[[The people are right - it was horrible.|motherfeelings][$dfeelings to "disgusted"]]'' ''[[Honestly, you don't know.|motherfeelings][$dfeelings to "unsure"]]''

<<if $dfeelings is "why">>You know the factual version of why, but something about it doesn't feel right. Your mothers would have been renowned as fantastic athletes even if they didn't take the extreme measures of doping. As an athlete yourself, you can't imagine feeling like you need to rely on something other than your own skill to make a name for yourself. Realistically, you'll never know why. You can't exactly just go and ask your parents, at least not without some damage to your relationship.<<elseif $dfeelings is "conflicted">>On one hand, you get the mainstream reaction. To have people you've been inspired by turn out to be nothing but cheaters is a horrible feeling. How many children had looked up to them as icons, only to find out that underneath the masks they were frauds? But a part of you, the part of you that sees them as people, not athletes, feels sorry for them. What they did was wrong. But did they really deserve the metaphorical public execution they got?<<elseif $dfeelings is "curious">>All the information given seemed overwhelmingly tilted to one side. It was hard to find a more neutral report on the case, save for the official one by the Olympic committee. Your parents didn't offer much information up in their later press interviews either, only giving up the bare minimum. You had crawled through what felt like hundreds of articles, trying to find anything that could shine a light on their actions. You drew a blank.<<elseif $dfeelings is "disgusted">>So they were under pressure. Plenty of athletes experience the same type of pressure without resorting to fucking cheating. The way your parents disrespected the whole //meaning// of Taekwondo by just trying to win has always disgusted you. You can't blame the public for reacting the way they did. As an athlete, there's an unsaid expectation for you to be a good example of sportsmanship. Your parents couldn't even meet that.<<else>>The only thing you were sure of was that this was a horribly complicated story. So many sides, so many perspectives, so many arguments. The pure variety of the responses made your head overload with information, meaning you had never really been able to draw a clear conclusion. <</if>> Although, your thoughts on the scandal and your parents as athletes doesn’t necessarily line up with what you think of them as mothers. In fact, it's almost hard to match them as the same people. When you were younger, they'd take you wherever you wanted to go. As you were their only child, and they had no career to focus upon, most of their attention was on you. The biggest fight you had gotten in was when you told them you wanted to pursue taekwondo professionally. Thinking back, you never got a real explanation as to why they hated the idea so much. As time passed, things changed, and as you grew older your feelings grew more complicated. How do you feel about your mothers now? <div id="motherfeel"> ''<<link "You love them. They did whatever they could for you.">>''<<replace "#motherfeel">><<set $mfeelings to "love">> They've supported you through thick and thin, no matter what. Even if you argued, you'd always bounce back pretty quickly, not managing to stay mad for too long. <<if ($dfeelings is "disgusted") or ($dfeelings is "conflicted")>>You may not agree with their actions as athletes, but as parents you couldn't ask for better.<</if>> ''[[next|door]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "You get along with them well enough.">></strong><<replace "#motherfeel">><<set $mfeelings to "good">> Like most familial relationships, you've had your ups and downs. Most of them, you've managed to recover from. It feels natural that as time has passed you aren't as close to them as when you were younger, but overall you still do like them. <<if ($dfeelings is "disgusted") or ($dfeelings is "conflicted")>>You may not agree with their actions as athletes, but as parents they were pretty good.<</if>> ''[[next|door]]''<</replace>><</link>> ''<<link "You're pretty neutral about them.">>''<<replace "#motherfeel">><<set $mfeelings to "neutral">> There was nothing really to write home about your relationship. You didn't really have any strong feelings about your mothers anymore, to be honest. They were just kind of there. <<if ($dfeelings is "disgusted") or ($dfeelings is "conflicted")>>Your feelings on the doping situation had barely impacted your entirely average view of them as parents.<</if>> ''[[next|door]]''<</replace>><</link>> ''<<link "It's strained, to say the least.">>''<<replace "#motherfeel">><<set $mfeelings to "strained">> Every relationship had their ups and downs, but yours seemed far too filled with the downs. You still have some form of relationship to them, although it's most definitely on its last tethers. Soon enough, something is going to snap. <<if $dfeelings is "curious">>Your curiosity only made it even more precocious, what with how many questions you used to ask about it. They were maddened by how you asked, and you were infuriated at their lack of response.<</if>> ''[[next|door]]''<</replace>><</link>> ''<<link "The only thing holding you together is blood.">>''<<replace "#motherfeel">><<set $mfeelings to "hate">> They were only really your mothers by name. <<if $dfeelings is "disgusted">>How could you really love them? They'd ruined your career before you had even stepped on the mat, all because of their selfish desires to be seen as the best. You had to fight against preconceived notions just because of your surname. What a present to give your only child. <<if ($name is "Melissa") or ($name is "Alice")>>Also, who names their $child the same name as them? Weird people, that's who.<</if>><<elseif $dfeelings is "conflicted">>Even though you feel slightly sorry for them regarding the scandal, it didn't help your relationship. The part of you that understood the public always ended up clashing with them, hurtling your arguments past something that could be discarded as a petty dispute. <<if ($name is "Melissa") or ($name is "Alice")>>Also, who names their $child the same name as them? Weird people, that's who.<</if>><<else>>Even though you don't necessarily feel disgusted by their actions, you and your mothers had never really gotten on. After you switched to become a professional athlete, the relationship that was fighting to keep its head above water finally drowned. <<if ($name is "Melissa") or ($name is "Alice")>>Also, who names their $child the same name as them? Weird people, that's who.<</if>><</if>> ''[[next|door]]''<</replace>></div><</link>>

Your phone stops vibrating, and you realise that you've accidentally let it ring out. <<if ($mfeelings is "hate") or ($mfeelings is "strained")>>With how your relationship is, your mothers probably didn't even expect you to pick up. It's most likely for the best that you didn't. A sharp knock on the door drags you out of your self reflection. Annoyance flares up in you briefly. What happened to people being sociable at a normal time, like 9 am?<<else>>Before you could even consider ringing them back, a sharp knock at your door draws your attention. Annoyance flares up in you briefly. What happened to people being sociable at a normal time, like 9 am?<</if>> Unwillingly, you drag yourself towards the insistent knocking, which seems to only get louder and louder. You swing the door open, and then immediately regret not making the effort to seem slightly more prepared. The woman on the other side only stares at you, arching an eyebrow. “$surname. I was hoping you might be ready by now, but clearly my hopes were too high.” At this, you scoff. <hr \>''"[[Fuck off, Lea.|door1][$convooption to 1]]" [[Jokingly shut the door on her.|door1][$convooption to 2]] [[Grin and hold your arms out.|door1][$convooption to 3]] "[[Hello, Lea.|door1][$convooption to 4]]" "[[Huh?|door1][$convooption to 5]]"''

<<if $convooption is 1>> <<fair_plus "$kind" -4>> She sticks her tongue out at you. "You're mean." You just roll your eyes at her, opening the door slightly wider. <<elseif $convooption is 2>><<fair_plus "$serious" -4>> She bangs on the door again, the noise unnecessarily loud. "I will stand here until you let me in, $name. Don't try me." Knowing her, she would. Admitting defeat, you swing the door back open, revealing the woman again. <<elseif $convooption is 3>>Words aren't necessary between the two of you. She enters your arms and wraps her own around you, squeezing way tighter than necessary. She speaks again after she has released you. "I missed you and your hugs, you know." <<elseif $convooption is 4>><<fair_plus "$serious" +4>> "Wow, what a friendly welcome," she jokes, crossing her arms, "I feel so wanted." You only give her a look in response. <<else>><<fair_plus "$professional" -4>> It's far too early for any of this. The woman just laughs at you, covering her mouth with her hand. "Forgot how useless you are in the morning." <</if>>''[[next|leaconvo]]''

Lea Sanchez has been your best friend since university, and as of six months ago, also your manager. This new role has most certainly got to her head, as she has started greeting you in an exaggeratedly professional way every single time you meet. Despite her short stature, she has more than enough energy to power the whole of London for a week. Most people who see Normal Lea Sanchez can’t associate her with Professional Lea Sanchez, especially considering how playful the girl typically is. She invites herself in, your years of history together meaning formalities had long been discarded. You study her appearance for a moment as she moves. Her midnight black hair is slicked back in a tight ponytail, and light makeup dusts her tan skin. Paired with her matching blazer and slacks, she looks far more formal than she behaves. She’s careful to not crease these official clothes when she sits down on your sofa. Then, she turns to you, and you're acutely aware of how piercing her gaze is. “So, are you ready?” The million dollar question. At noon today, Team GB will release the final list of athletes representing them in the Olympics this year. That list, for the first time, will include your name. Or, more accurately, your surname. It’s funny, really. The name you had absolutely no say over was the one that had been defining your career even before it began. Even before you knew you were going to go into Taekwondo. Instead of answering Lea immediately, you move to take a seat next to her. As you do so, you catch Lea fiddling with a gold band on her ring finger. Must be a new ring, you think passively. She's always had a thing for material wealth. The fidget itself is one you recognise on her: she reverts to it when she’s worried or stressed. Most likely worried about you, you assume. The constant spinning almost hypnotises you, distracting you from pondering about the media shitstorm that is awaiting you as soon as the list gets released. It's hard to stop thinking about it once you start. You’d think, after endless scenarios where the press have irrevocably destroyed an innocent person's life, they just might have learnt a lesson. But, no. If anything, it only made them more bloodthirsty, a shark stalking the oceans for their next big catch. No matter what it cost, they'd get it. <hr \>''[[You feel a sudden weight on your shoulder.|leathink]] [[Lea tilts her head, examining you intently. [Play as touch averse]|leathink][$touchaverse to true]]''

<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="coolstats">// hello, phoenix.//</span> <<button "stats.">> <<goto stats>> </div><</button>>    <<button "relationships.">> <<goto relationships>> </div><</button>>    <<button "back to game">> <<script>>Save.autosave.load()<</script>> <</button>> <hr /> <<if $customisation is true>> Your name is ''$name $surname.'' You identify as $gender, and use $he /$him. <<if $hairtype is "bald">> You are bald. <<elseif $hairtype is "buzzcut">> You have a buzzcut.<<else>>Your hair is cut ''$hairlength'' and is ''$hairtype''. It's a gorgeous shade of ''$haircolour''.<</if>> As well as that, you have ''$eyecolour'' eyes, and ''$skincolour'' skin. Your style could be described as ''$style''. <<else>> Who are you, phoenix? <</if>>

<<if $touchaverse is true>>She knows you don't like to be touched from your years of friendship.<<else>>Lea had slung an arm around you. Warmth radiated from her, and you could feel yourself calming down.<</if>> You look at her, a small smile playing on your lips. Lea was more attuned to your emotions than you were somehow. Even at 18, she knew when to bring you a treat from your favourite local bakery, or when to just leave you alone. Her ability only seemed to improve over time. Her face softens, and she gives you a look that is specially reserved only for the people closest to her. <<if $touchaverse is false>>Then, she squeezes your arm slightly, as if to physically remind you that she's here for you.<</if>> “You’re thinking too hard,” she comments, before an evil grin takes over her face. “It’s not a good look on you, using your brain too much. Stick to being the jock that hits shit.” <hr \>''[["Thanks, Lea." She always knows how to lighten the mood.|leaconvo1][$convooption to 1]] [[Mess around. "Did you never watch High School Musical?"|leaconvo1][$convooption to 2]] [[Scowl. She's joking, but you still don't like when people assume you're only good for one thing. ✕|leaconvo1][$convooption to 3]] [[Just nod. You're too tired for this.|leaconvo1][$convooption to 4]]''

“As much as I’d love to sit here and talk about useless things with you, we need to leave soon. Hurry up and eat your $cereal, already.” Fuck. You had forgotten all about your dry bowl of cereal. A metaphor for how this day may end up going? Possibly. But you can’t dwell on that now. The only thing that should be on your mind is remembering where you put the milk. ''[[It, unsurprisingly, was in the fridge.|dojangreception]]''

The car ride to the@@.buttondef;<<button "dojang">> <<script>> UI.alert("Dojang: term used in Korean martial arts that refers to a formal training hall."); <</script>> <</button>>@@was mostly silent, only occasionally punctuated by the tapping of your foot or Lea’s sharp curse when a car veers slightly too close to hers. At the entrance, she takes her leave, saying that she needs to work on some PR scheme for you. Before fully leaving, however, she turns, and looks at you. <<if $humorous > $serious>>"I know we like messing about with each other, but just remember I’m here for you,” she declares, shooting you her signature grin, “Always have been, always will be.”<<else>>"I know you take things seriously, but just remember I’m here for you,” she declares, shooting you her signature grin, “Always have been, always will be.”<</if>> At that final statement, she spins back around and pushes open the door, stepping outside and leaving you alone in the reception of the dojang. Never change, Lea Sanchez. As you look around, you soon realise that your assumption you were alone here was wrong. A receptionist around your age sits behind the welcome desk, expression hardened with what you can only assume is boredom. You take a quick glance at the name card on the counter: Ava, she/her. Clearly, Lea’s display of friendship did nothing to warm Ava's heart from the damage that being a receptionist for typically obnoxious athletes has done. <<if $organised is true>>You knew that you'd need your ID, so you kept it in the front pocket of your bag. Hooray for organisation.<<else>>You forgot that you'd need your ID, so it's shoved somewhere inside your bag. The receptionist watches your fumbling with a blank expression, and you feel your cheeks heat. Luckily, you find it quicker than normal, saving you some shame.<</if>> You walk up to the desk and show her your ID. She takes it, and begins typing something up on her computer. After a few seconds, she surprises you by speaking. "Do you like taekwondo?" <hr \>''[["Yeah, it's fun. Can't imagine life without it." Might as well make friendly conversation.|dojangreception1][$convooption to 1]] [[Just arch a brow at her.|dojangreception1][$convooption to 2]] [[Respond, but shut the conversation down. "It's good."|dojangreception1][$convooption to 3]] [[Joke around. "Nah, I hate it, I just do it all the time for a laugh."|dojangreception1][$convooption to 4]] [["What do you think?" you spit out.|dojangreception1][$convooption to 5]]''

Eventually, she hands your ID back. You take it from her with a nod, turning to leave the small reception area. Your footsteps echo as you walk across the empty corridor, following you as you take a sharp right into the changing room. Hastily, you shed your normal clothes, and pull on your stark white@@.buttondef;<<button "dobok">> <<script>> UI.alert("Dobok: stark white uniform worn by practitioners of Korean martial arts."); <</script>> <</button>>@@. You take a quick peek in the provided mirror to ensure it’s spotless, knowing even the smallest stain would be spotted instantly by your coach. All good. Now, all you need is the@@.buttondef;<<button "ti.">> <<script>> UI.alert("Ti: Used in Taekwondo to refer to the belt."); <</script>> <</button>>@@ It pokes out of your bag, 6 yellow stripes embroidered on the end, denoting your rank. The stripes are a stark contrast to the black fabric. You pull it out, relishing the feel of the material as it rubs against your fingertips. Wrapping the ti around yourself is muscle memory, the rhythmic motions almost soothing. You only really feel like a@@.buttondef;<<button "Taekwondoin">> <<script>> UI.alert("Taekwondoin: Correct term for a Taekwondo practicioner, although not commonly used."); <</script>> <</button>>@@with it on. It gives you a sense of belonging, of power, a member of an exclusive club for only the best. You are, in some sense. <<if ($hairlength is "short") or ($hairlength is "ear length")>>Looking back in the mirror, you quickly style your hair just to ensure it won't block your vision during training.<<elseif ($hairtype is "bald") or ($hairtype is "buzzcut")>>You run a hand over your head. It's pretty convenient not having any hair to style or tie up.<<else>>Suddenly, you remember you hadn't tied your hair. You scrape it up into a make do ponytail, just to make sure it doesn't get into your eyes.<</if>> Changing over, you see no more point in delaying the inevitable. You swing open the door to the dojang, bowing quickly in the door frame as is tradition. The hall feels warmer than typical today, and you mentally curse whoever decided that air conditioning wasn’t a decent investment. Scanning the room, your gaze falls on the only other person there. They are currently standing with their hands on their hips, looking disapprovingly at a pile of target pads. <hr \>''[[She's your coach, Alex. [set Alex to female]|alexdistance][$ahim to "her"; $ahe to "she"; $ahis to "her"; $ahers to "hers"; $agender to "female"; $atitle to "Miss"; $aman to "woman"; $abf to "girlfriend"; $Ahe to "She"; $Ahis to "Her"; $ahimself to "herself"]] [[He's your coach, Alex. [set Alex to male]|alexdistance][$ahim to "him"; $ahe to "he"; $ahis to "his"; $ahers to "his"; $agender to "male"; $atitle to "Mr"; $aman to "man"; $abf to "boyfriend"; $Ahe to "He"; $Ahis to "His"; $ahimself to "himself"]]''

<<set $alexmet to true>> Alex finally finishes with $ahis staring match with the pads, and turns to address you. At $ahis full height of 6’3, it’s easy to see how people may find $ahim intimidating, especially alongside the muscles. But really, Alex was anything but scary, save for when $ahe was coaching. Although, it’s not like you know $ahim anyway. You’ve never even talked outside of these training sessions. Alex’s distance was something you had just come to accept over time, when you began to realise $ahis secrecy wasn’t just due to the fact you only just met. Rather embarrassingly, that realisation only came after $ahe left on seen the first time you texted $ahim, something which still makes you itch with shame. $Ahis distance was a carefully curated gap, although you couldn’t really tell if it was for $ahis benefit or yours. <hr \>''[[You hate it. You've always wanted to be more with Alex. ♡|alexdistance1][$alexfeelings to"crush"]] [[You dislike it. Couldn't you be friends outside of work as well?|alexdistance1][$alexfeelings to"dislike"]] [[You're indifferent about it. You're professionals after all.|alexdistance1][$alexfeelings to"indifferent"]]''

<<if $ahis is "his">>You’re pulled from your reverie when said coach begins snapping $ahis fingers in front of your face, a bemused smile playing on $ahis lips. From this close, you can see clearly how the emerald green of $ahis eyes contrasts $ahis short dirty blonde hair. You can also faintly make out a long healed scar across $ahis eyebrow.<<else>>You’re pulled from your reverie when said coach begins snapping $ahis fingers in front of your face, a bemused smile playing on $ahis lips. From this close, you can see clearly how the emerald green of $ahis eyes contrasts $ahis dirty blonde hair she has in a ponytail. You can also faintly make out a long healed scar across $ahis eyebrow.<</if>> “Hello? Earth to $name?” $ahe quips, although $ahis lighthearted tone is betrayed by how intensely $ahe’s looking at you. <<if $alexfeelings is "crush">>It sets butterflies fluttering in your stomach, and you pray that Alex can't read the emotion on your face.<</if>> <<if $serious >= $humorous>>You roll your eyes at $ahim in response, which Alex returns with a wide, unashamed grin.<<else>>You stick your tongue out at $ahim in response, which Alex returns with a wide, unashamed grin.<</if>> $Ahe then stretches upwards, causing $ahis shirt to ride up a little and reveal a pale sliver of skin, before shaking $ahis arms out and addressing you. $Ahe kind of reminds you of a dog when $ahe does that. <<if $alexfeelings is "crush">>Both of them absurdly adorable.<</if>> “Go warm up over there. You know the drill. I’ll be round in a few,” $ahe directs, gesturing vaguely at one of the corners of the empty hall. You resist the urge to groan as you walk over there. You do, in fact, know the drill. Every single training session, for the past 5 years $ahe has coached you, Alex has made you start from the very basics. As in, single punches across the hall basics. You’ll give it to $ahim, the stretching is logical. Gotta warm up your muscles and all of that jazz. But the beginners exercises? <hr \>''[[You're too good to be doing this.|doingwarmup][$convooption to 1]] [[Everyone needs to review the basics.|doingwarmup][$convooption to 2]]''

<<if $convooption is 1>><<fair_plus "$humble" -8>> If Alex heard your inner monologue, $ahe would most definitely give you a disapproving look. But realistically, you had been doing this for over a decade. You were known as a //prodigy//. Just maybe, you could skip a few stages and cut to the important things? <<else>><<fair_plus "$humble" +8>> Alex is the coach for a reason. Even though you're pretty distinguished in taekwondo, it never hurts to review the most basic techniques. After all, even the simplest things could be match winners if done right.<</if>> No matter your feelings on the warm up that ten year olds could do, you had to do it. One by one, you stretch your arms and legs out in front of you, before shaking them out. After that, you turn off your brain, only focusing on warming up, letting all of your other worries melt away. Step forward. Punch. Uncomplicated, simple. A different pace compared to the high octane sparring fights you've become accustomed to. It feels like it has been a long time since you have done Taekwondo as pure as this. Only focused on the raw technique, with none of the frills of a point system and sportsmanship to worry about. Suddenly, you register your fist hitting a wall. Hard. The sudden change from just punching air to hitting a real, physical thing makes you yelp embarrassingly loud. A stinging ache radiates from the front of your hand, which is already turning slightly red. Amidst your pain, you dimly register Alex bent over double full on cackling in the corner of your vision. <<if $alexfeelings is "crush">>Your injury may have been worth it just to see $ahim with that smile. <</if>> “Your head’s up with the clouds today, $name,” $ahe chokes out, straightening up and wiping a stray tear out of $ahis eye, “Let’s get to the sparring bit before you get lost up there forever.” Your following scowl only sets Alex’s laughter off again. $Ahe puts $ahis hands up in mock surrender, pretending to cower as you walk towards $ahim. At this moment, you two weren’t mentor and mentee. You were just two friends, messing about. <<if ($alexfeelings is "crush") or ($alexfeelings is "dislike")>>It almost felt like $ahe was unknowingly teasing you, giving a tantalising glimpse into what your relationship could be like. A glimpse into a world where you two were friends, the type that would text each other every day even if they had nothing to say. So far from the world you were in now.<</if>> After Alex had recovered from $ahis theatrics, $ahe points at the centre of the hall. "Time to spar." ''[[You look at the space, then back at Alex.|shadowsparring]]''

There's nothing there. <<if $humorous > $serious>>"Do you have some beef with the air that I'm not aware of?" you ask, humour lacing your tone. Alex looks confused for a brief second, before realisation dawns on $ahis face. "Oh. No. You're shadow sparring, $name." Ah. That makes more sense. <<elseif $rude > $kind>>"That's air," you tell $ahim bluntly, "What am I meant to spar with?" Alex doesn't let your attitude affect $ahim. $Ahe shapes a human figure out into the air with $ahis hands, then turns and grins at you. "With the shadow. You're shadow sparring." $ahe states, crossing $ahis arms as though $ahe's made an earth shattering discovery. $Ahe hasn't. It does explain the sparring thing though. <<elseif $casual > $professional>>"Dude, there's nothing there," you tell $ahim, gesticulating wildly at the spot $ahe had pointed at. Alex mimics your tone as $ahe responds. "That's because you're shadow sparring, //dude.//" Ah. <<else>>Your confusion must be evident on your face, because Alex quickly begins to speak again. "Sorry, that was horribly unclear. I meant shadow sparring." Oh.<</if>> Shadow sparring as a concept is pretty simple. It's an exercise commonly used in combat sports, where the athlete spars with the air as though there was an opponent there. It allows for combinations to be practiced when there isn't another player present, as well as serving as a warm up method to gradually increase heart rate. For coaches, it can reveal what patterns a fighter has. Working on removing these patterns is something Alex constantly tells you is key, explaining $ahis fondness for the exercise. You move to stand in the area Alex gestured at, naturally falling into the sparring stance. Your body is turned at a slight angle to the side, with your right foot in front of your left. Bending your knees slightly allows for greater balance, and your arms are held up with fists clenched. Having your arms up means you can protect the head easier when sparring a real opponent. Alex blows the whistle. <hr \> ''[[Immediately, you move to do a series of kicks.|shadowsparring1][$legs to 40]] [[You press forward, punching the air.|shadowsparring1][$arms to 40]] [[Alternate between kicks and punches.|shadowsparring1][$arms to 30; $legs to 30]]''

<<if $legs is 40>>Lifting your front leg up, you snap it forward to do a front kick. As soon as it has touched the ground again, you bring it up diagonally to chamber for a side kick. Thrusting your leg forward rapidly, you quickly pull it back in, and place it back on the ground. You shift your weight onto your front leg, and chamber up for a turning kick, executing it at head height. "Good," Alex shouts, watching your every move, "But remember your arms." <<elseif $arms is 40>>Springing into action, you advance forward. You strike the air with two rapid punches, before drawing back diagonally. Stepping to the side, you attack forward from a different angle, aiming your hits at different levels. Some went up, towards what would approximately be head height, and others down low, around waist level. "Nice work," Alex shouts, watching you like a hawk, "But don't neglect your kicks."<<else>>First, you chamber up for a sidekick, placing distance between you and your hypothetical opponent. After a sharp execution, you push in close, striking up at head height, before drawing back. Switching sides, you snap your leg forward into a front kick, then immediately move to punch where the side of the opponents head would be. "Keep it up," you hear Alex shout, "Make sure you don't lose your rhythm."<</if>> Another sharp whistle signals the end of that round. Silently, Alex hands you a water bottle, and you gulp half of it down. After what feels like just seconds, $ahe signals for you to get back into position. Heart thrumming in your ears, you assume the sparring stance once more. The whistle blows again. <hr \>''[[You once again attack, an offensive fighter.|shadowsparring2][$offense to 40]] [[Making a move to block, you shift backwards.|shadowsparring2][$defence to 40]] [[Alternate rapidly between blocking and attacking.|shadowsparring2][$defence to 30; $offense to 30]]''

<<if $offense is 40>>You keep pushing forward, pressuring your imaginary opponent with an endless flurry of kicks and punches. The only noise is the crinkling of your dobok as you attack, relentless. You feel the sweat build up on your back, your breaths gradually growing more laboured and heavy. An offensive style is good for gaining points, but it means you're more likely to tire yourself out, which can affect later performance.<<elseif $defence is 40>>You slide backwards diagonally, swinging your arm up to block an imaginary punch. The same arm moves down to prevent a kick from landing. This pattern repeats, with you only throwing a punch or kick occasionally. As this defensive style is less intensive, your breathing remains fairly steady, although your arms burn from constant use. Primarily relying on defense means that you have more sustained energy, beneficial for later on.<<else>>You start by sliding backwards, moving to block a sidekick at waist level. Then, you make your own push forwards, chambering for a high turning kick. Once executed, you strike forward for a quick punch, before retreating once again. This rapid back and forth is taking its toll, and you can hear your breathing grow heavier. The unpredictable switch between attack and defense would disorient your opponent, although it's hard to maintain.<</if>> A harsh whistle signals for you to stop, and as you return you see Alex scribble something down furiously in a book. You fondly call it your gradebook, because it's where $ahe writes down all $ahis feedback for you. $Ahe looks up briefly and offers you a small smile. "You're doing great. One more round, and then we'll move onto something else," $ahe tells you, having already started to write again. Most likely a note of what patterns you have, so that $ahe can try and force a new habit of unpredictability. You've already moved back into the sparring stance by the time Alex has finished. For the third and final time, the whistle blows, signifying the start. <hr \>''[[My moves are smooth - I mostly go off instinct.|shadowsparring4][$instinct to 40]] [[Typically, I'm more tactical with my sparring.|shadowsparring4][$tactics to 40]] [[I balance between instinct and tactics when I spar.|shadowsparring4][$instinct to 30; $tactics to 30]]''

<<if $instinct is 40>>Tactics are well and good, but you mostly go off what feels right when sparring. You execute the combination that feels most natural to you at the time. Currently, you move from a high punch to a low sidekick, before pulling back to guard. <<if $legs is 40>>As you keep fighting, you instinctively gravitate towards using various different kicks, knowing thats what you excel in. <<elseif $arms is 40>>As the sparring continues, you naturally gravitate towards attacking using your arms, executing a variety of strikes. <<else>>As time passes by, you stick with your usual variety of kicks and punches, alternating between them frequently.<</if>><<elseif $tactics is 40>>You rely on a balance of pre existing knowledge of an opponent and their body language to make your moves. Hard to do when shadow sparring, due to the lack of a physical target. To make up for this, you decide to attack in a different way then usual. <<if $legs is 40>>For you, this means moving to attack with your arms more, throwing various different punches.<<elseif $arms is 40>>For you, this means focusing on your legs, and executing sharp kicks more often. <<elseif $offense > $defence>> Although you use both kicks and punches equally, you're typically more offensive, so you make an effort to block more often.<<elseif $defence > $offense>>Although you use kicks and punches as often as each other,you're typically more defensive, so you make an effort to keep attacking.<<else>>Although you balance offense and defense well, and you use both kicks and punches frequently, you still have a tendency to rely on the same combinations. To counteract this, you force yourself to attempt new ones, no matter how unnatural it feels.<</if>><<else>>You try and balance the two of them, knowing that both serve their own important purpose. <<if ($legs is 40) and ($offense > $defence)>>At the beginning, you fall into your usual aggressive kicking style. However, as you realise the pattern you're in, you move to a more defensive game, only throwing out punches occasionally.<<elseif ($arms is 40) and ($offense > $defence)>>At the beginning, you fall into your usual aggressive style of striking with your arms. However, as you realise the pattern you're in, you move to a more defensive game, switching it up by only using kicks occasionally.<<elseif ($legs is 40) and ($defence > $offense)>>At the beginning, you fall into your usual defensive style, only occasionally kicking. However, as you realise the pattern you're in, you move to a more aggressive game, striking often with your arms.<<elseif ($arms is 40) and ($defence > $offense)>>At the beginning, you fall into your usual defensive style, only occasionally punching. However, as you realise the pattern you're in, you move to a more aggressive game, kicking hard and fast.<<elseif ($legs is 40) and ($offense is $defence)>>At the beginning, you fall into your usual style of alternating between attacking and defending with various kicks. You soon realise your pattern of reliance on your legs, however, and attempt to focus more on your punches.<<elseif ($arms is 40) and ($offense is $defence)>>At the beginning, you fall into your usual style of alternating between attacking and defending with various strikes and punches. You soon realise your pattern of reliance on your arms, however, and attempt to focus more on a variety of kicks.<<elseif ($arms is 30) and ($offense > $defence)>>At the beginning, you fall into your usual aggressive style of alternating between strikes and kicks. However, as you realise the pattern you're in, you move to a more defensive game, but keeping your occasional variety of attacks.<<elseif ($arms is 30) and ($defence > $offense)>>At the beginning, you fall into your usual defensive style, rarely alternating between attacking with strikes and kicks. However, as you realise the pattern you're in, you move to a more offensive game, whilst maintaining your occasional variety of attacks.<<else>>Luckily for you, you have an already pretty well rounded style. You rely on that at the start of the match, until you realise you've been repeating the same combination of kicks and punches. You move to counteract this by attempting alternate combinations, of varying lengths.<</if>><</if>> You barely even hear the whistle when it blows again due to how loud your heart is beating. Resisting the urge to collapse on the ground wheezing, you walk over towards Alex, breathing deeply. $Ahe gestures towards the ground. "We both know you're exhausted. Stop trying to pretend you're fine and take a seat." You're too tired to object to $ahis words, so you obediently sit on the wooden floor, legs crossed. Alex skims through $ahis book again before looking down at you. "I'll make this quick," $ahe says, "because you have a lot more to get through." <<if $professional > $casual>>You just nod, and keep focused on $ahim. You need to do what you need to do in order to stay at the top.<<else>>Involunatarily, a groan leaves your lips. Alex only looks slightly bemused at your lethargy. "You've literally //just// started." You just wave a hand vaguely at $ahim, signalling for $ahim to keep going. $Ahe shakes $ahis head at you before starting to speak again.<</if>> <<if $legs is 40>><<if $offense > $defence>>"You have a tendency to be over aggressive and rely on your kicks," $ahe begins, in a more formal voice than usual, "Kicks are obviously important, but punches can be key sometimes."<<elseif $defence > $offense>>"You have a tendency to defend too much and rely on your kicks," $ahe begins, in a more formal voice than usual, "Kicks are obviously important, but punches can be key sometimes."<<else>>"You have a good balance between attacking and defending, but you rely on your kicks a lot," $ahe begins, in a more formal voice than usual, "Kicks are obviously important, but punches can be key sometimes."<</if>><<elseif $arms is 40>><<if $offense > $defence>>"You have a tendency to be over aggressive and rely on your punches," $ahe begins, in a more formal voice than usual, "Punches are useful occasionally, but kicks tend to be more consistent."<<elseif $defence > $offense>>"You have a tendency to defend too much and rely on your punches," $ahe begins, in a more formal voice than usual, "Punches are useful occasionally, but kicks are more consistent, especially at your level."<<else>>"You have a good balance between attacking and defending, but you rely on your punches a lot," $ahe begins, in a more formal voice than usual, "Punches are all well and good occasionally, but kicks are far more consistent.<</if>><<else>><<if $offense > $defence>> "You utilise kicks and punches pretty equally, which is good," $ahe begins, in a more formal tone than usual, "But you're too aggressive. Too much aggression can lead to mistakes."<<elseif $defence > $offense>>"You utilise kicks and punches pretty equally, which is good," $ahe begins, in a more formal tone than usual, "But you're too defensive. Defending doesn't give your opponent or you points."<<else>> "You utilise kicks and punches pretty equally, which is good," $ahe begins, in a more formal tone than usual, "And you also have a good balance between attack and defense. But don't get complacent. Jack of all trades, master of none."<</if>><</if>> $Ahe lets out a long exhale before continuing. "So, now we need to work on breaking those patterns. If I can notice them, that means your opponent can as well." You know that. Alex has ensured that it was drilled into your head since the beginning. <<if $instinct is 40>>"I know it's easy to go with what's instinctive. I'm not saying not to. It can make you a better, more varied player. But being tactical is also just as important," $ahe carries on, making a face. "We're opposites in that sense. I never seemed to have that instinct."<<elseif $tactics is 40>>"Luckily for me, you seem to already work on changing your patterns. That's great, obviously. But don't forget your instinct. That can be important as well," $ahe carries on, pulling a face. "Although, I of all people shouldn't be saying that. I was never the most instinctive player."<<else>>"Luckily for me, you seem to already work on changing your patterns. That's great, obviously. You've also got good instinct. Make sure you keep using both," $ahe carries on, pulling a face. "Kind of jealous of you, actually. I was never the most instinctive player."<</if>> Your attention is piqued by that. Alex almost never talks about $ahis past, which is strange considering $ahe also used to do taekwondo. From what you've heard, $ahe was amazing at it, even having the same coach as your parents once had. At least, $ahe //was// amazing. Until $ahe quit. You didn't even learn the fact that $ahe quit from $ahim - you had learnt it from a shared acquaintance, to whom $ahe actually seemed to be friends with. You examine your coach curiously, wondering if $ahe'll give anything else away. Alex just shakes $ahis head, looking back down at $ahis book. "Shouldn't have mentioned it, it's irrelevant. This training session's about you. So we better move on - we've got a lot more to cover."<<if ($casual > $professional) or ($casual is $professional)>> You manage to successfully hold back your groan this time.<</if>> ''[[next|alexconvo1]]''

The rest of the training session was mostly the same. A repetitive circuit of shadow sparring, padwork and kicking that you could lose yourself in the monotony of. The pain in your muscles was just about to grow unbearable when Alex finally decided to call it a day and let you off. Naturally, the two of you fell into a companionable silence, with you stretching out on the floor and $ahim cleaning the equipment. “The Olympic athlete list is coming out today, right?” Alex asks, breaking the quiet. You shoot $ahim a disapproving look from where you're sitting. $Ahe just pouts back at you, a comedic gesture when done by a 6’3 muscular giant. <hr \> ''[[Place a hand over your heart. "And here I thought you'd remember," you say, overly dramatic.|alexconvo2][$convooption to 1]] [["Don't worry, it's easy to forget," you reassure, "But yes."|alexconvo2][$convooption to 2]] [["Can't believe you forgot about me." ♡|alexconvo2][$convooption to 3]] [[Some part of you aches at that. You respond normally though. ♡|alexconvo2][$convooption to 4]] [[You're unimpressed. "The least you could do is remember the date, you know." ✕|alexconvo2][$convooption to 5]]''

<<if $convooption is 1>><<fair_plus "$kind" +4>> Her grin turns slightly less evil. "Always, $name. I've got you." You must have done something amazing in your past life to get her in this one. Since you two met, she's always had your back, even when you were in the wrong. Three things in your life were guaranteed: death, taxes, and Lea's support. The silence you didn't even realise had descended over the two of you is broken when she speaks ''[[again|leavehouse]]''. <<elseif $convooption is 2>><<fair_plus "$serious" -4>> You attempt your best Troy Bolton impression, which admittedly isn't very good. "Did you ever think that maybe I could be both?" The cackle Lea lets out echoes around your apartment, and she covers her mouth in an attempt to stifle it. She stops just enough to begin singing, off key and pitchy. //"We're all in this togetherrrrrr!"// It's your turn to cackle this time, and your laughter is infectious. She's only barely recovered from it when she speaks ''[[again|leavehouse]]''. <<elseif $convooption is 3>><<fair_plus "$kind" -4>><<fair_plus "$serious" +4>> Lea winces at your scowl, realising her mistake. "Sorry, forgot you didn't like that. My bad." You just nod back at her, although your frown has softened slightly. She had good intentions, just poor execution. The silence extends for slightly too long before she decides to speak ''[[again|leavehouse]]''. <<else>>It's far too early to have a normal conversation. Lea seems aware of this, and quickly speaks again so that silence doesn't fill the ''[[room|leavehouse]]''.<</if>>

<<if $convooption is 1>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" +4>><<fair_plus "$kind" +4>> She nods thoughtfully. "What drew you to it? I always wanted to try, but it feels too late now." There's nothing you love more than talking about the sport that has consumed your life. You spend a while chatting to her, explaining the merits of taekwondo. She seems genuinely interested in what you have to say, and the conversation is one of the best you've had in a while. <<elseif $convooption is 2>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" -4>><<fair_plus "$serious" +4>> She lowers her head, mumbling contritely. "Dumb question. Sorry." The rest of the time is spent in a vaguely awkward silence. You entertain youself by looking over the reception area. A small dead houseplant was nestled in the corner, brown leaves stark against the cream white walls. Clearly, there wasn't a deep love for gardening present in the staff here. <<elseif $convooption is 3>><<fair_plus "$kind" -2>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" -4>> She takes the hint and doesn't force the conversation, instead focusing fully on her monitor. You spend the rest of the time in slightly awkward silence. After a few seconds had passed, you entertained youself by looking over the reception area. A small dead houseplant was nestled in the corner, brown leaves stark against the cream white walls. Clearly, there wasn't a deep love for gardening present in the staff here. <<elseif $convooption is 4>><<fair_plus "$serious" -4>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" +4>> This pulls a giggle out of her, lightening her expression. You blink owlishly. This is a pleasant surprise. "Sorry, that was a dumb question. Just wanted to break the silence and you seemed fun enough," she explains, shooting you a small smile. "Don't sweat it, I've heard far worse ones before," you reassure her. The rest of the time you spend recounting a disastrous press interview, punctuated occasionally by the receptionists gasps or snickers. <<else>><<fair_plus "$kind" -4>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" +2>> The receptionist lowers her head at your words, pursing her lips. "Yeah, dumb question," she mumbles, not meeting your eye, "Sorry." You spend the rest of the time in frosty silence, the only sound being the clicking of her keyboard. After a few seconds had passed, you entertained youself by looking over the reception area. A small dead houseplant was nestled in the corner, brown leaves stark against the cream white walls. Clearly, there wasn't a deep love for gardening present in the staff here.<</if>>''[[next|changingrooms]]''

<<if $alexfeelings is "crush">>Call it fate or destiny, somewhere between the 10th and 100th training session your feelings towards Alex shifted from purely platonic to romantic. $Ahis distance chips away at a part of your soul whenever you notice it. It only serves as a cruel reminder that from your coaches perspective, this is a strictly professional relationship. You hate it.<<elseif $alexfeelings is "dislike">>You aren't saying you need to be best friends who go on holidays together or anything. But would it kill $ahim to switch to texting you, instead of just emailing? You've seen how other athletes are with their coaches. Some call them their platonic soulmates. After all, nobody knows an athlete better than their own coach. But Alex seems determined to keep you at arms length. You'd never be the coach/athlete pair that the paparazzi see on holiday.<<else>><<fair_plus "$professional" +4>>You're just here to become the best you can, and Alex is just here to try and help. Sure, it would be nice if $ahe could text you instead of emailing. But at the end of the day, it doesn't matter too much. You both have different lives outside the dojang. That's just how the dice rolls sometimes.<</if>> ''[[next|warmup]]''

<<if $convooption is 1>><<fair_plus "$serious" -4>><<set $alex to $alex + 4>>Alex attempts to hold back a chuckle at your acting, rolling $ahis lips. This only fuels you further, and you mock faint onto the ground. Lips still pursed, $ahe surveys you lying there. "I take that as a yes then?" You nod in affirmation. "Do you want to get back up now?" $ahe asks. You shake your head. $Ahe doesn't manage to hold back $ahis laughter this time.<<if $alexfeelings is "crush">> You feel victorious in managing to pull out this much laughter from $ahim. The afterglow remains long after $ahe stops chuckling.<</if>> <<elseif $convooption is 2>><<fair_plus "$kind" +4>><<set $alex to $alex + 4>>Alex winces slightly. "I normally don't forget these things. I try remember all the important things in my life." That's a sweet sentiment, you think privately. <<if $alexfeelings is "crush">>And you can't help but start to wonder the implications behind it. Does that mean $ahe considers you an important thing? Are you important to $ahim? The mere thought of that sends your heart racing faster than when you were sparring.<</if>><<elseif $convooption is 3>><<set $alexromance to $alexromance + 1>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" +4>>Alex flushes slightly, wincing. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I do genuinely try to remember these things, believe it or not." Either $ahe missed the flirtation in your words or purposefully ignored it. You can't really tell which is worse. <<if ($alexfeelings is "dislike") or ($alexfeelings is "indifferent")>>You also can't tell why you wanted to flirt with $ahim in the first place. But that's a problem for another time.<</if>><<elseif $convooption is 4>><<set $alexromance to $alexromance + 1>><<if $alexfeelings is "crush">>There was no real reason Alex should have remembered today. You weren't even friends. It wasn't like $ahe was going to text you congratulations or anything. But even all the logic in the world couldn't dull your heart ache.<<elseif $alexfeelings is "dislike">>Hm. You assume that you felt that ache because $ahis statement just reminded you that there'd always be distance between the two of you. A purely platonic pain. Something about that just doesn't feel right, though.<<else>>That's…. weird. You'd never before disliked Alex's distance, in fact, you even thought that it was reasonable. So why did it hurt like that to be reminded?<</if>> You shake those thoughts out your mind and address your coach. "Yeah, it is."<<else>><<fair_plus "$serious" +10>><<fair_plus "$professional" +6>><<set $alex to $alex - 2>>This is one of the biggest events of your career so far, honestly. And the least Alex could do as a coach is have the date down in $ahis calendar. $Ahe winces at your words, head tilting down. "Sorry. You're right."<<if $alexfeelings is "crush">> And really, how can you stay mad at $ahim when $ahe looks like a kicked puppy? You can't, is the answer.<</if>><</if>> Alex clicks $ahis tongue, looking down at the Apple watch $ahe always has on. You wouldn't be surprised if it turned out it was fused to $ahis skin. “We better get going. Someone else has probably booked this space for this afternoon. And you know how athletes are when they can’t train at their specific time,” $ahe jokes, moving towards the door. You recognise the words as what they are, hidden under Alex’s lightheartedness: a dismissal. For a couple of hours a day, a small bridge was built over the chasm between you two, where you could sit and talk. But at the end, once the timer had run down, the bridge collapsed, and you were back to where you started. Two people on opposite sides of a canyon. Separated. <<if ($alexfeelings is "crush") or ($alexfeelings is "dislike")>>Sometimes, you wonder what would happen if you were stranded on the other side with $ahim. Wondering was all you could do, really. That’s all Alex would ever give you.<</if>> Outwardly, you just offer $ahim a nod, bowing as you leave the dojang to the ''[[changing rooms.]]''

Quickly, you peel off your dobok, folding the white suit messily before entering the shower. The cold water quickly cools you down, and you leave feeling considerably more human. You wrap the towel you brought around you, before rummaging through your bag for the change of clothes you packed. They’re your typical style, which is ''<<cycle "$style" autoselect>> <<option "business casual">> <<option "business formal">> <<option comfortable>> <<option fashionable>> <<option alternative>> <<option revealing>> <<option vintage>> <<option academic>> <<option streetwear>> <<option unique>> <</cycle>>''. After pulling on your outfit, you make quick work of packing away the rest of your things. Time to make your way back home. With no ride back, and absolutely zero desire to talk to anyone right now, you decide that walking home is the most sensible option. It’s only 30 or so minutes away, and it’s not like you have anything else to do. You pull your headphones out of your bag and slip them on, scrolling through your phone to find a decent playlist to soundtrack your walk. Then, you set off. The crisp, cool air hitting your face is a welcome contrast to the stifling heat of the dojang. Due to the amount of times you’ve traversed these paths, the route to your flat from where you train is engraved in your mind. The streets would look near identical to anyone who didn’t live there; just endless rows of brick houses and street lamps as far as the eye can see. The monotony of the surroundings makes you zone out, not particularly noticing anything or anyone, until you feel a creeping awareness that you’re being watched. It grows to a point where you’re almost worried, only lost when you realise that said person has now fallen into step beside you. You huff. Only one person would be so socially obtuse (accidentally or on purpose) as to invite themselves to walk with someone. Jamie Franco. <<set $jamiemet to true>> You first became aware of Jamie when he interviewed you after one of the earliest wins in your professional career. The name seemed familiar at a time, and when you returned home to look him up you soon realised why. Nearly every headline from the man had the name $surname in it. Over time, it switched from featuring your parents' names to you. From analysing the impact of the doping scandal to commenting on your fashion choices, he seemed to cover it all. Privately, you could admit the articles were without a doubt well written. The man had a talent. And for some reason known only to whoever the fuck was up there, he chose to use it exclusively on your family. You’ve slowly become used to him randomly appearing wherever you are, knowing that if you sat and thought about it too hard you’d get creeped out and end up applying for a restraining order. So you choose not to dwell on it too much. <hr \>''[[Somewhere along the way, you somehow fell for him. ♡|jamieconvo][$jamiefeelings to "crush"]] [[You like Jamie well enough, all things considering.|jamieconvo][$jamiefeelings to "like"]] [[Jamie's Jamie. You don't feel strongly about him.|jamieconvo][$jamiefeelings to "neutral"]] [[You are (unofficially) his #1 Hater.|jamieconvo][$jamiefeelings to "hate"]] [[Honestly, he kind of scared you.|jamieconvo][$jamiefeelings to "scared"]]''

<<if $jamiefeelings is "crush">> Not that you'd ever tell anyone else that, let alone him. The back and forth between the two of you felt so natural, so comfortable. You couldn't help but develop feelings for the player on the other side of this seemingly endless verbal tennis match.<<if $alexfeelings is "crush">> What with your crush on Alex as well, Lea was right. You //do// have a thing for unavailable people.<</if>> <<elseif $jamiefeelings is "like">>"All things" being the way he follows you around like a lost puppy. Despite his slightly questionable methods of journalism, he was fun enough to talk to. At least, when he wasn't purposefully irritating you. <<elseif $jamiefeelings is "neutral">> He's just kind of there. All the time. There's nothing else to really say about it. Some days you dislike him more, and other days he's surprisingly decent company. It overall balanced out to a general neutral feeling. <<elseif $jamiefeelings is "hate">>This constant back and forth between you two was a battle, and you were going to win. No way would you let a weird hybrid of stalker and reporter beat you. <<else>>Jamie unnerved you, and who could blame you? He was borderline a stalker, albeit a harmless one. With that and his power as a journalist, something about him always set you on edge. <</if>> Currently, you are irritatingly aware that Jamie will not leave until you entertain him for however long he wishes. You slip your headphones off, and look at him expectantly. He's wearing his usual style of street wear, with a baggy grey jumper and black cargoes. His dark hair is in its usual messy state, and you think you can just about see the faintest trace of eyeliner under his dark brown eyes. A smirk grows on his face at your appraisal. “See something you like, love?” <hr \>''[[Woah. That made you feel something. ♡|jamieconvo1][$convooption to 1]] [["What a weird way to greet someone," you say.|jamieconvo1][$convooption to 2]] [[Don't even bother acknowledging it. ✕|jamieconvo1][$convooption to 3]] [[Pretend to look around. "Who're you talking to?"|jamieconvo1][$convooption to 4]] [[Ignore it and greet him.|jamieconvo1][$convooption to 5]]''

<<if $convooption is 1>><<set $jamieromance to $jamieromance + 1>> <<if $jamiefeelings is "crush">>You're almost painfully aware at the rush of heat that runs through you. It was just one word, yet it makes you feel like a lovesick teenager in the throes of their first love. Jamie speaks before you can even think about formulating a response.<<elseif $jamiefeelings is "hate">>You immediately push that to the back of your mind. That "something" you felt was just confusion, you tell yourself firmly. There's absolutely no chance you //liked// that shitty pet name. You didn't even like him. Jamie speaks before you can even think about formulating a response.<<elseif $jamiefeelings is "scared">>You decide to attribute that unnatural increase in heart rate to your mild fear of him rather than anything else. The reporter speaks before you can even think about formulating a response.<<else>>Well, that's new. You decide to chalk that weird sensation to confusion, rather than anything deeper. Jamie was barely even an acquaintance. The reporter speaks before you can even think about formulating a response.<</if>><<elseif $convooption is 2>><<set $jamie to $jamie + 2>> "My specialty," Jamie responds, sketching a quick bow, "Surely you should know that by now." You just look at him, your mild confusion evident on your face. This only seems to fuel the reporter.<<elseif $convooption is 3>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" -4>><<set $jamie to $jamie - 2>>You just grunt at him, not having the willpower to summon a decent response. Your lethargy only seems to increase his energy.<<elseif $convooption is 5>><<fair_plus "$serious" +4>><<fair_plus "$professional" +4>><<set $jamie to $jamie + 1>>"Hello to you too, Jamie," you settle on saying, continuing on your walk. He jogs a few steps to catch up to you. "So serious, $name. We can do professional if you want," he drawls. You let out a decidedly unimpressed snort. The last thing you'd describe Jamie Franco as is professional.<<else>><<fair_plus "$serious" -4>><<set $jamie to $jamie + 2>>You mimic searching around the area, at one point standing on your tiptoes to look over him. "Don't seem to see the 'love' you're talking to." Jamie just snorts, shaking his head at you. "Are you done with your amateur acting performance already?" Him saying that just makes you want to start another one. <</if>> “Anyway, I didn’t decide to bless you with my company just to call you a pet name,” he quips, smirk somehow growing even wider, “I have a question for you. Just one.” <hr \>''[[Ah, fuck it. You'll flirt a little. ♡|jamieconvo2][$convooption to 2]] [[Some small part of you is disappointed at that. You keep it professional though. ♡|jamieconvo2][$convooption to 3]] [["Fuck off, Franco." You don't have the energy for this. ✕|jamieconvo2][$convooption to 4]] [[You'll be nice. "Sure, go ahead."|jamieconvo2][$convooption to 5]] [["And here I thought we were just two friends hanging out," you joke.|jamieconvo2][$convooption to 6]]'' <<if $jamiefeelings is "scared">>''[[Resist the urge to bolt.|jamieconvo2][$convooption to 1]]''<</if>>

<<if $convooption is 1>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" -4>>As much as you'd like to, there was no way you could reasonably run away from this situation without earning Jamie's ire. You take a deep breath, attempting to calm your far too fast heart. He's just a person like you. You can do this. "Why not just wait for the media interviews?" you ask, avoiding eye contact with him. <<elseif $convooption is 2>><<fair_plus "$professional" -4>><<set $jamie to $jamie + 3>><<set $jamieromance to $jamieromance + 1>> <<if $jamiefeelings is "hate">>"We could do something other than talking with our lips, you know," you tell him. Then your eyes widen. //Why the fuck did you say that?// This is Jamie Franco you're talking to. As in, the reporter whom you dislike with a passion. And, as of five seconds ago, also the guy you decided to hit on. By some miracle, Jamie hasn't said anything yet, probably just as bewildered as you. You need to move this conversation on, and fast. "Why don't you just wait for the media interviews?" you ask him, trying to make your voice as harsh as possible.<<elseif $jamiefeelings is "crush">>"We could do something other than talking with our lips, you know," you purr. A smirk grows on your lips as you watch his eyes widen. Nice to see you can have the same effect on him as he has on you. You watch him intently as he schools his face back into his usual expression before responding. "Maybe some other time. My question's //really good.//" Biting your tongue, you try and mask your disappointment at how he didn't flirt back. Every day, your hope that your feelings weren't one sided ebbed away. That wasn't the only thing that bothered you about his statement though. "Why don't you just wait for the media interviews?" you ask him.<<else>>"We could do something other than talking with our lips, you know," you purr. A stunned silence settles over the two of you, and you fight back a grin. You didn't even know that Jamie could be silent. You also didn't know what came over you to make you want to flirt with Jamie. You're probably just more tired out from training than you thought. People make poor decisions when tired. You watch him school his face back into his usual expression before responding. "Maybe some other time. My question's //really good.//" A scoff escapes you, and your brows furrow as you realise something. "Why don't you just wait for the media interviews?" you ask him.<</if>><<elseif $convooption is 3>><<fair_plus "$professional" +4>><<set $jamieromance to $jamieromance + 1>><<if $jamiefeelings is "crush">>It feels pathetic. Obviously he hasn't just come to make nice conversation with you. Logically, you knew that. He has a job to do - you're just a small part of that. So why does it still hurt? Ignoring that rather depressing thought, you move on to the other part of his statement. "Why don't you just wait for the media interviews?"<<elseif $jamiefeelings is "hate">>Fuck. You must be more tired than you thought, because you have never before wanted Jamie Franco's company. This feeling will pass over after you get some sleep, you determine. It has to. Ignoring the complex minefield that is your emotions, you move on to the other part of is statement. "Why don't you just wait for the media interviews?"<<else>>Okay, something is up today. You determine that this tangled ball of feelings can be examined once you are done talking to the person at the heart of it. Shaking your head slightly, you move on to the other part of his statement. "Why don't you just wait for the media interviews?"<</if>><<elseif $convooption is 4>><<fair_plus "$kind" -4>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" -4>><<set $jamie to $jamie - 2>>He sticks out his bottom lip in a shitty imitation of a pout. <<if $jamiefeelings is "hate">>"I thought this could be a real bonding moment for us. We could become best friends! Get you to change your mind about me or whatever," He says, in a saccharine sweet voice. You ignore the last statement, reverting back to business. "Media interviews are later, Jamie. Wait until then."<<elseif $jamiefeelings is "crush">>I thought we were getting along so well. You didn't even seem to hate my company," He almost sings the last part, all of it said in a sickly sweet voice. You're deeply thankful that Jamie has no idea the extent to which you enjoy his company. If he knew the depths of your feelings, he'd go from irritating to downright insufferable. Pushing those thoughts aside, you revert back to business. "Media interviews are later, Jamie. Wait until then."<<else>>"I thought we were getting along so well. You didn't even seem to hate my company," He almost sings the last part, all in a sickly sweet voice. He really knows how to make himself dislikable, doesn't he? What a talent to have. You may not hate his company now, but with how he's acting it's likely you'll end up at that point. Pushing those thoughts aside, you revert back to business. "Media interviews are later, Jamie. Wait until then."<</if>><<elseif $convooption is 5>><<fair_plus "$kind" +6>><<set $jamie to $jamie + 3>> He blinks, as though he didn't expect you to agree so easily. <<if ($rude > $kind)>>Fair enough. You aren't ever normally this nice. First time for everything, though. You quickly realise why else he may be slightly confused. "Why aren't you waiting for the media interviews?"<<elseif ($professional > $casual)>>Fair enough. You normally give him a way tougher time when he starts springing questions on you. You quickly realise why else he may be slightly confused. "Why aren't you waiting for the media interviews?"<<elseif $jamiefeelings is "hate">>Fair enough. You've been clear that you're not his biggest fan. You'll play nice today, though. You quickly realise why else he may be slightly confused. "Why aren't you waiting for the media interviews?"<<else>> You aren't entirely sure why. It's not like you are particularly mean, or hate him. Your confusion soon melts away as you remember something. "Why aren't you waiting for the media interviews?"<</if>><<else>><<set $jamie to $jamie + 3>><<fair_plus "$serious" -2>>His smile turns devilish. "Oh, is that what we are? I wasn't aware of our new relationship status. What's next, dating? Marriage? I'll take your surname." <<if $jamiefeelings is "crush">>Dear God. You're starting to feel less and less sure that Jamie isn't aware of your feelings for him. Most likely, he just said what he thought would get under your skin. In that sense, he has succeeded, albeit not in his intentional way. A sudden realisation strikes you. "Wait, why not just wait for the media interviews?" <<else>>You just scoff. He's just trying to say what he thinks will get under your skin. You aren't going to give him the satisfaction of a proper response. A sudden realisation strikes you. "Wait, why not just wait for the media interviews?" <</if>><</if>> This only pulls a laugh from Jamie, echoing across the otherwise silent street.<<if $jamiefeelings is "crush">> He has a nice one, you note. Rich and full.<</if>> Once his giggles have subsided, he looks back at you, the glint in his eyes evident. <<if $jamiefeelings is "hate">><<set $jname to "Soulmate">><<elseif ($rude > $kind)>><<set $jname to "Regina George">><<elseif ($arrogant > $humble)>><<set $jname to "Rachel Berry">><<elseif ($humorous > $serious)>><<set $jname to "Giggles">><<elseif ($kind > $rude)>><<set $jname to "Sweetcakes">><<elseif ($outgoing > $reserved)>><<set $jname to "Sparky">><<else>><<set $jname to "Karate Kid">><</if>> “And when have I ever done that? Humour me, $jname. I am your biggest fan after all,” he teases, dragging the last word out. Fucking hell. You had called him that once after he had, in a situation similar to the one you’re in now, ambushed you randomly. And in true Jamie fashion, he had latched onto it. He also made sure to respond with his own shitty nickname for you - $jname. <<if $touchaverse is true>>You hadn’t realised how long you had been silent for until the reporter nudges you with surprising force. “So?”<<else>>You hadn’t realised how long you had been silent for until the reporter starts snapping his fingers at you. “So?”<</if>> Jamie could have made a good tax collector with how fucking persistent he is. Maybe in some alternate universe, where you were an art teacher, he is. To ensure he understands how much you don’t actually want to respond, you violently roll your eyes at him before nodding. He doesn’t even wait for you to stop moving your head. ''[[“The Olympics. What’s your goal?”|personchoice]]''

That question triggers a realisation in you. Despite his easy going persona, Jamie isn’t here as himself currently. He’s here as a press reporter. Meaning whatever you say now is most likely going to appear in print in a week. Faintly, you remember a PR course that Lea had forced you to take a few months ago. Most of it was pretentious bullshit, but one speaker's point stood out to you in particular. “As a public figure, you aren’t seen as a person. You’re a brand.” Brands face a completely different set of expectations to a person. Brands are expected to be cohesive, perfect, flawless. Any mistake, any fault, any tiny imperfection would be scrutinised under the microscope that is the public eye. Like the time you mispronounced shirts as shits in one interview very early into your career. You couldn’t open any messages from Lea for a week after that, and you still get people tagging you in clips of it. Messing up simply isn’t an option. So, you, similar to an actor about to take the stage, have to step into character before you begin the performance. <div id="personachoices"> <strong><<link "You're outgoing and cheerful.">></strong><<replace "#personachoices">><<set $persona to "outgoing">> You maintain a constant happy and cheerful expression, almost rivaling the joy of a child. Some people enjoyed your infectious, happy attitude. Others consider it forced and downright irritating, saying you're too immature for your age. But any talk is better than no talk. ''[[next|jamieconvo3]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "You tend to be humorous and relaxed.">></strong><<replace "#personachoices">><<set $persona to "funny">> Sports fans were drawn to your lighthearted, comedic disposition. You were considered a breath of fresh air, especially as most professional athletes are a lot more serious than you. However, you sometimes struggled to get people to take you seriously, or to listen to you at all. ''[[next|jamieconvo3]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "You're arrogant and borderline rude.">></strong><<replace "#personachoices">><<set $persona to "rude">> It was a thin tightrope to walk, that's for sure. Obviously, some disliked you greatly, what with your "bad sportsmanship" and "lack of manners". However, others were drawn to your confidence and brashness. Either way, you certainly had the publics attention. ''[[next|jamieconvo3]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "A good sportsman - humble and kind.">></strong><<replace "#personachoices">><<set $persona to "humble">> Family friendly and palatable. You were the type of athlete that parent's could show their kids to get them inspired to take up Taekwondo. This persona meant that brands weren't scared to work with you. However, some find you boring, just another typical, friendly sportsperson. ''[[next|jamieconvo3]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "You're both professional and serious.">></strong><<replace "#personachoices">><<set $persona to "aloof">> You were an enigma wrapped in a mystery. You handled the press and all media with a cool and unwavering nonchalance that was enviable. Some were intrigued by your almost cold persona, whereas others thought you were just trying too hard to differentiate yourself. ''[[next|jamieconvo3]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "On second thoughts, you don't really have a persona. You're just kinda you.">></strong><<replace "#personachoices">><<set $persona to "authentic">> You never really understood the point of having a set persona. Fans loved how authentic and honest you were, although the fact you didn't have one cohesive image meant brands weren't as likely to work with you. The press also didn't like that they couldn't easily categorize you, though that may be for the best. ''[[next|jamieconvo3]]''<</replace>></div><</link>>

So, now to respond to Jamie's question. He hasn't yet pushed you to answer, most likely knowing that you have to carefully consider your public persona before responding. <hr \>''[["For a big shiny medal, obviously," you quip|jamieconvo4][$convooption to 1]] [[Plaster on a large grin. "I just love competing, and where better to do it than the biggest stage in the world!"|jamieconvo4][$convooption to 2]] [[You smile slightly. "Just wanted to push myself and my limits, whilst also meeting other athletes."|jamieconvo4][$convooption to 3]] "[[To get my name where it belongs: in the history books.|jamieconvo4][$convooption to 4]]" [[You keep calm and cool. "Why does anyone? It's a natural next step."|jamieconvo4][$convooption to 5]]''

<<if $convooption is 1>><<set $olympicsreason to 1>> <<if $persona is "authentic">><<fair_plus "$serious" - 4>><<fair_plus "$professional" - 4>>You didn't feel like giving a proper answer, so you went for the tried and tested method of deflection: a joke. You can tell Jamie isn't wholly satisfied with what you gave him, so you raise a finger before he can even begin. "You said just one question," you warn, struggling to keep a smile off your lips as he almost deflates. He quickly recovers from that setback. <<elseif $persona is "funny">>You inject as much lightheartedness into the statement as possible. It's the perfect response, exactly what people expect of you. You can tell that Jamie isn't fully satisfied with your answer though, most likely because it wasn't really an answer at all. You raise a finger to prematurely stop him. "You said just one question," you warn, struggling to keep a smile off your lips as he almost deflates. He quickly recovers from that setback. <<else>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>> Jamie's brows rise in surprise. "Not the response I expected, to be honest." You internally curse. Maybe the response you chose wasn't best suited to the persona you have. Mentally, you make a note to take more care, knowing that the public don't like when celebrities personalities seemingly change. And public opinion is everything.<</if>> <<elseif $convooption is 2>><<set $olympicsreason to 2>> <<if $persona is "authentic">><<fair_plus "$outgoing" +4>><<fair_plus "$professional" -2>>Despite your cheerfulness, Jamie doesn't seem all too impressed. "Is that it?" Your smile drops slightly, and you bite the inside of your cheek. Luckily for you, he made a promise earlier. "That's another question. You said just one." This time, his smile is the one that drops. <<elseif $persona is "outgoing">>You try make it as cheerful as possible, really trying to get your supposed extrovert personality through.<<if ($reserved > $outgoing) or ($reserved is $outgoing)>> It's not the easiest thing in the world, considering that you normally hate talking to people. But the show must go on.<</if>> Despite your supposed cheerfulness, Jamie doesn't seem all too impressed. "Is that it?" Your smile drops slightly, and you bite the inside of your cheek. Luckily for you, he made a promise earlier. "That's another question. You said just one." This time, his smile is the one that drops. <<else>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>> Jamie's brows rise in surprise. "Not the response I expected, to be honest." You internally curse. Maybe the response you chose wasn't best suited to the persona you have. Mentally, you make a note to take more care, knowing that the public don't like when celebrities personalities seemingly change. And public opinion is everything.<</if>> <<elseif $convooption is 3>><<set $olympicsreason to 3>> <<if $persona is "authentic">><<fair_plus "$humble" +4>><<fair_plus "$kind" + 2>>The reporter looks unimpressed. "What a sweet sentiment." "Just the truth," you respond, small smile gracing your lips. And it is, really. You don't like lying or putting on a facade. <<elseif $persona is "humble">>The reporter looks unimpressed. "What a sweet sentiment." "Just the truth," you tell him, trying to keep your tone as sweet as possible.<<if ($rude > $kind)>> Pretty difficult, considering that most people wouldn't exactly consider you a nice person.<</if>> <<else>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>> Jamie's brows rise in surprise. "Not the response I expected, to be honest." You internally curse. Maybe the response you chose wasn't best suited to the persona you have. Mentally, you make a note to take more care, knowing that the public don't like when celebrities personalities seemingly change. And public opinion is everything.<</if>> <<elseif $convooption is 4>><<set $olympicsreason to 4>> <<if $persona is "authentic">><<fair_plus "$humble" -4>><<fair_plus "$kind" -2>>You don't see any point in sugarcoating it. Really, every athlete wants the same thing, just some are less obvious than others. Everyone wants their name to be immortalised forever, for it to be one that inspires awe and wonder when mentioned. Jamie narrows his eyes at you, and you feel weirdly vulnerable under his inspection. "Hm. Interesting." <<elseif $persona is "rude">>You try to make the statement as harsh as possible, really pushing your arrogant image.<<if ($humble > $arrogant)>> It's real struggle, considering that you tend to cower when receiving praise. But what can you do about it now?<</if>> Jamie narrows his eyes at you, and you feel weirdly vulnerable under his inspection. "Hm. Interesting." "Just being honest," you respond, maintaining a corrosive tone. You're thankful when he seemingly decides to drop the subject. <<else>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>> Jamie's brows rise in surprise. "Not the response I expected, to be honest." You internally curse. Maybe the response you chose wasn't best suited to the persona you have. Mentally, you make a note to take more care, knowing that the public don't like when celebrities personalities seemingly change. And public opinion is everything.<</if>> <<else>><<set $olympicsreason to 5>> <<if $persona is "authentic">><<fair_plus $professional +4>><<fair_plus $serious +4>>The reporter furrows his brow, and he opens his mouth as if to ask a follow up question. "You said just //one//," you remind him, and Jamie quickly smooths his face back to its usual state of slightly smirking. You raise your brows in surprise. Typically, he would just ignore his previous statements and keep pushing you with more questions. You're not quite sure why he decided not to this time. <<elseif $persona is "aloof">> "As cold as ever, I see," Jamie comments, mischief lacing his tone, "Although I can't help but wonder-" "You said //one// question," you remind him, keeping your tone as professional as possible.<<if ($humorous > $serious)>> A real tragedy, you privately think, because you had a perfect joke for the occasion. Alas, it doesn't fit with how the public see you.<</if>> Surprisingly, Jamie doesn't push his question. You raise your brows in surprise. Normally, he would keep asking until he got an answer from you. You're not quite sure what's different this time. <<else>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>>Jamie's brows rise in surprise. "Not the response I expected, to be honest." You internally curse. Maybe the response you chose wasn't best suited to the persona you have. Mentally, you make a note to take more care, knowing that the public don't like when celebrities personalities seemingly change. And public opinion is everything.<</if>> <</if>>Looking down, his fingers fly across his phone keyboard. Then, he pockets it and abruptly spins on his heel. “Thanks, my darling $jname,” he calls out, giving you a cheery wave. A sigh escapes your mouth as you watch him stalk away, hands clasped behind him. It’s hard to believe he’s actually a real person. You wouldn't be surprised he just goes back home and disappears, like some odd video game NPC. The encounter still swirling in your mind, you put your headphones back on and get back on your way. ''[[Back at home.]]''

After changing into loungewear, you throw some leftovers in the microwave, cooking feeling like far too much effort for the day you’ve had so far. Once they’re done heating up, you sit down at the dining table and scroll through your phone. A bad habit, most definitely. But as an athlete, it’s probably one of the lesser sins you could commit. Way better than being an alcoholic, for example. Although, as you open up TopOfIt and type in your name, you begin to consider cracking open a bottle of wine. Over time, as taekwondo had grown more and more popular, the fan base had followed suit. What used to be only a small community of people watching through illegal means turned into thousands of people, sharing their thoughts on TopOfIt - the most popular social media currently. You remember how much you had laughed when you first saw what would later be called “tkdtoi”, reading through strange thirst tweets about your fellow athletes made by teenagers. Your laughter had quickly turned into choking as you read one about yourself that you hoped nobody your knew would never also see. The fact that so many people perceived you was something you had never quite gotten used to; you still get a strange jolt of panic every time you read your name in a post. ''[[Time to see what people were saying.]]''

//@TKDnews: BREAKING! $name $surname has been officially announced as a representative for Team GB in this years Olympics.// //@tkdluvr: the $surname name returning to taekwondo is giving redemption arc tbh//<<if ($persona is "rude") or (($persona is "authentic") and ($rude > $kind))>> //@olympicguarde: so if i said i found $name's arrogance to be hot then what……//<</if>><<if ($persona is "outgoing") or (($persona is "authentic") and ($outgoing > $reserved))>> //@iLuvTkd: $name being such an extrovert is everything to me its giving love of my life//<</if>><<if ($persona is "aloof") or (($persona is "authentic") and ($reserved > $outgoing))>> //@iHeartOlympic: i'm going to break through $name's shell and we will fall in love mark my words//<</if>> //@olympiclover: only love for THE most iconic athlete $name. stan for better skin!!!// Attached underneath that tweet was an edit of you, flashing rapidly between pictures of you after various wins. You stifle a giggle, fighting back the urge to like the tweet and send the poor fan into a coma. Your brief lived enjoyment quickly fades as you read the next few tweets. //@clip4love: the way $name is only relevant because of $his last name… flop coded fr.//<<if ($persona is "funny") or (($persona is "authentic") and ($humorous > $serious))>> //@dobokON: $name won't even take this seriously I bet. Just a waste of a place on someone who doesn't care.//<</if>> //@blackbeltlia: LOLLL call me back when $surname gets exposed for doping like $his cheater mothers.// You click on the tweet, fully expecting the worst. //@melissalovers: @blackbeltlia DID SOMEONE SAY MOTHER?????// The reply was accompanied by an edit of your mothers, with some god awful remix of a generic pop song over the top. <<if ($mfeelings is "love") or ($mfeelings is "like")>>Quickly, you press the share button and send the tweet to your mum, captioning it "look what i found :)".<</if>> You continue scrolling down, reading the mixed replies. Some were defending you, and some were just smearing your name. One response in particular catches your eye. //@goldmedalanne: So now we’re jumping to assumptions? $name is more than just $his mothers….// A weirdly calm response for someone on Twitter. Your finger hovers over the heart, mind running over the possible consequences of the action. <hr \>''[[Like the reply|ytspot][$likereply to true]] [[Don't like it.|ytspot]]''

<<if $likereply is true>>What's the worst that could happen?<<else>>Yeah. No. You're not about to tempt fate like that.<</if>> You close the app, deciding that your mental state has taken enough damage for today. Any longer on it and you may need to book an MRI scan to check that your brain is still intact. Would they allow athletes with holes in their brain to compete in the Olympics? You’re not willing to fuck around and find out. Staring at your home screen, you deliberate between two options. Watching a video or listening to music.<<if ($humorous > $serious)>>Arguably the most important decision of your lifetime. Your caveman ancestors are most definitely disappointed as to what they’ve devolved into.<</if>> <hr \>''[[A video.|Youtube.]] [[Music.|Spotify.]]''

Like a newborn baby, you needed some visual stimulation. Unlike a newborn baby, you didn’t typically tend to watch colourful shapes and numbers jump across a screen. Scrolling through the app, you click on your favourite type of video to watch, a ''<<cycle "$videotype" autoselect>> <<option gaming>> <<option commentary>> <<option vlog>> <<option "fashion advice">> <<option "makeup tutorial">> <<option "video essay">> <<option "book review">> <<option "movie review">> <<option music>> <</cycle>>'' one. About halfway through the video, you begin scrolling through the recommended tab underneath. One of them stands out to you in particular. The thumbnail is a woman with dark umber skin, holding up a designer handbag that looks like it could pay off your rent for a few months. Next to it, the caption reads “What’s in my bag? [latest edition]”, with 20 million views. You let out a low whistle, impressed, and click on the video. The woman starts speaking immediately, and introduces herself as Wendy Morgan, she/they. Her name vaguely rings a bell - you think you saw an article calling her the “nation’s influencer” once a few weeks ago. As the video continues, it’s easy to see how they reached the level of success she’s at. Her voice had a melodic, calming quality, one that was easy to listen to for hours upon end. Alongside their clear aesthetic (a mix between y2k and cybercore) and her faultless fashion sense, Wendy clearly had the art of influencing down to a point. <<set $wendyhear to true>> <div id="wendyfeelings"> <strong><<link "She's also gorgeous. ♡">></strong><<replace "#wendyfeelings">><<set $wendyromance to $wendyromance + 1>> You're probably amongst millions of other people with this opinion. It almost certainly is just a natural attraction that'll end up going nowhere. But hey, it's fun to imagine.<<if ($alexfeelings is "crush") and ($jamiefeelings is "crush")>> Not like you're going to make any progress on the Alex thing anyway. Or the Jamie thing. Might as well go full in and throw a third person into the mix.<<elseif $alexfeelings is "crush">> Not like you're going to make any progress on the Alex thing anyway. Might as well indulge a little and broaden your horizons.<<elseif $jamiefeelings is "crush">>Your whole situation with Jamie isn't about to go anywhere, so you might as well broaden your search.<</if>> ''[[next|prologueend]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "They seem like they'd be a good friend.">></strong><<replace "#wendyfeelings">> Obviously, you don't actually know her, so you can't be sure. But from their videos, they seem to exude a pure sense of calm. Maybe you're being presumptuous, but you can imagine that she'd be a great person to go to for fashion or makeup advice. ''[[next|prologueend]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "You don't really have any strong feelings on her.">></strong><<replace "#wendyfeelings">> <<if ($persona is"authentic")>>You can't assume that every celebrity is the same behind the scenes.<<else>>You know better than anyone that how any celebrity is never actually how they seem.<</if>>If by some lucky chance you end up meeting them, you'll begin to form an actual opinion. For now, all you really feel is that she's pretty good at her job. ''[[next|prologueend]]''<</replace>></div><</link>>

<<set $minhear to true>>You couldn’t really be bothered to watch a full video right now, so you settle for listening to your favourite playlist. It had a carefully curated selection of songs, with most of them falling into the genre of ''<<cycle "$genre" autoselect>> <<option pop>> <<option indie>> <<option rock>> <<option metal>> <<option country>> <<option alternative>> <<option EDM>> <<option jazz>> <<option rap>> <<option blues>> <<option "hip hop">> <</cycle>>''. Turning the volume up, you place your phone down and wind down, humming along to the familiar notes of your favourite songs. You've all but lost yourself to the music when an unfamiliar melody begins playing. You quickly realise it’s not a song on your playlist. You must have run out of your premium free trial. Despite this, you find yourself enjoying the song wholeheartedly. The lead singer is clearly talented, and the production quality is nothing to scoff at. You unlock your phone, and check to see whose song it is. It’s not a band you’d heard of before, but the name suits their vibe - Crying Lightning. After liking the song and adding it to your playlist properly, you look the band up on Instagram. You find their page pretty soon, boasting a respectable 205k followers. One post of theirs in particular catches your eye. It stars a person with a dark red mullet who is grasping a microphone, standing in front of a packed crowd. They're evidently singing with great passion, so much so it almost oozes through the screen. Scrolling through the collection of pictures, you see a few other pictures of them, including one of them crowd surfing. This must be Crying Lightning’s lead singer then. <div id="minfeelings"> <strong><<link ".....they're //hot.// ♡">></strong><<replace "#minfeelings">><<set $minromance to $minromance + 1>> You're probably amongst millions of other people with this opinion. It almost certainly is just a natural attraction that'll end up going nowhere. But hey, it's fun to imagine. It's easy to see why they're the lead singer. Apart from the obvious fact of their talent, they have an undeniable magnetism, and you suddenly found yourself caught in its field.<<if ($alexfeelings is "crush") and ($jamiefeelings is "crush")>> Not like you're going to make any progress on the Alex thing anyway. Or the Jamie thing. Why not start also crushing on a lead singer in a different country?<<elseif $alexfeelings is "crush">> No way you're making any progress on the Alex thing anyway. Why not start also crushing on a lead singer in a different country?<<elseif $jamiefeelings is "crush">>Your whole situation with Jamie isn't about to go anywhere, so you might as well indulge in your new rockstar partner fantasy<</if>> ''[[next|prologueend]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "They seem like fun.">></strong><<replace "#minfeelings">> You don't know them at all, but from the pictures you've seen so far they seem to know how to have a good time. You can respect that sentiment at the very least. ''[[next|prologueend]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "You like their music, though you don't know about them.">></strong><<replace "#minfeelings">> You've never met the person, so you don't know how you're meant to really have an opinion on them. What you do know is that their music is pretty darn good. ''[[next|prologueend]]''<</replace>></div><</link>>

<<if $wendyhear is true>>You click on a few more of her videos, learning that their favourite pastry is an almond croissant and that she’s a massive kpop fan before deciding that you had watched enough for today. Before exiting the app, you subscribe to their channel, adding one more to her 40 million sub count. Just another faceless name in the crowd.<<else>>You decide against following them though, knowing that you have a brand to keep up. Following random bands may not be the wisest decision. Mentally, however, you store them away in a folder to return to later. Well, that was a fun musical adventure.<</if>> For a while after, you look through various other social media apps, unable to concentrate on one thing for an extended period of time. Your leftovers have long been finished, the plate sitting on your lap as you while away the minutes. You exist in this strangely comfortable state of mindless consumption until a text from Lea pulls you back to reality. It’s a short one, unlike how she typically texts, sending paragraph after paragraph. Must be serious. //Tickets booked. Flying in two weeks. Get packing.// No matter what other people said, or if you liked it or not, the cold, hard truth was that you were headed to the Olympics. The place where dreams are made or broken. Countless athletes have left the tournament with new sponsorships and national honours, and ten times the amount had left empty handed and hopeless. This was the chance to put your name in the history books, to memorialise yourself as a champion. On top of that, you weren’t just representing yourself - you were representing every person in your country. ''[[You could only hope you’d do a good fucking job.|chapter one]]''

<div style="text-align: center;"><span class = "coolstats">//demo end.//</span> You've reached the end of The Phoenix demo! Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed what there is so far. For any updates/feedback, follow my tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/thephoenix-if </div>

<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="coolstats">//content warnings.//</span> <<button "back to start.">> <<goto start>> </div><</button>></div><hr \>⇒ mention of drug use in reference to doping ⇒ violence in sparring scenarios ⇒ swearing/mature language DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Names, usernames and characters either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="coolstats">//indicators.//</span> <<button "back to start.">> <<goto start>> </div><</button>></div><hr \>⇒ ♡: romantic options. ⇒ ✕: antagonistic/negative options. ⇒ ⁕: options geared towards a poly route. ⇒ ❣: beginning of a romance route. optional, but heavily recommended if wanting to romance a character. (note: this route is required for the secret RO.) ⇒ ❣✕: end of a romance route.

<<if $organised is true>>Dawn came, and with it the ringing of your alarm. You briefly consider just ignoring it and going back to sleep, until you realise why you set it. Today was the day you were flying out to where the Olympics were held. Rising out of your bed, you check the time on your phone. 5 am. Your flight was at 9 am, and the airport was around sixty minutes away. You've always been an organised person. Your bags had all been packed a week or so ago, with only your essentials remaining. A checklist sat on your bedside table, with all the words crossed out. Whilst stretching, you walk into your bathroom. You quickly do all the necessary things in there, before packing away whatever else you needed into the small plastic bags the airport requires them to be in. This was the last time you'd be in your own bathroom for a while. You were no stranger to flying out for competitions, but none had been as important as this one. Moving away from the bathroom, you enter your kitchen, as clean as usual. You cook yourself a more complicated breakfast than usual, figuring that you deserve a treat for being so prepared. Once it's done, you pick up your plate and take a seat on your sofa. You flick on the TV and eat, enjoying this moment of calm before the raging storm that the next few weeks would be. Over the next month, you'd take part in the most important sparring matches of your life. Soon, you could be walking out into the world as a gold medal winner. That idea feels so far removed from where you started, you can barely connect them together. Just as you move to begin washing up the dishes, you hear a knock on your door. A smile blooms on your lips. There was only one person it could be. You walk over, and swing the door open. "Morning, Lea." She's wearing more casual clothes than normal, just a jumper and sweatpants. As well as being your manager, she was your chauffeur for today. Her flight was tonight. She wasn't flying with you because of her wife's family event she insisted she couldn't miss. "Knew you'd already be up," she comments, walking in and spinning around, "You're always so prepared." <<if ($arrogant > $humble)>>You preen slightly at the compliment. Lea barely ever says things that genuinely nice to you. She only rolls her eyes at you in return, pushing herself up and sitting on your kitchen counter as you return to wash up the dishes.<<else>>You squirm slightly at the compliment. Lea barely ever says things that genuinely nice to you, and praise has always made you a little uncomfortable. She knows this, judging by her smirk as she pushes herself up onto your kitchen counter as you return to wash up the dishes.<</if>> "Could've just let yourself in, you know. You have the spare keys to my place," you remind her, placing the plate on the drying rack. "No fun," she replies, swinging her legs now, "I like knocking. Makes me feel all important." You let out a chuckle at that. It sounds like her, that's for sure. Lea checks her phone, before sliding it into her jumper pocket. "We better start moving your stuff into my car," she says, before grinning widely, "And by we I mean you. My noodle arms aren't made for moving kilograms." <<else>>Morning came, and with it loud banging on your door. You shoot up in bed, trying to remember if you had done anything that may warrant the police attempting to break down your door. Nothing came to mind immediately, but who knows? Your alarm increases tenfold when you hear a click, and then the sound of your door swinging open. All of those martial arts lessons finally have another purpose. Walking out of your room, you enter your living room area, prepared for a fight. Your willingness to fight disappears as soon as you clock who actually is standing there. “Knew you wouldn’t be awake, so I came by early,” Lea tells you, holding up a takeaway box filled to the brim. “I made your favourite. Go clean up, I’ll heat it up for you.” You’re not conscious enough to argue, or do anything really, so you just obediently follow waht she says. By the time you've freshened yourself up, and woken up slightly, she’s already plated up the food. You note that she’s dressed more casually than usual, in just a jumper and sweats. As well as being your manager, she was doubling as your chauffeur for today. Her flight was tonight. She wasn't flying with you because of her wife's family event she insisted she couldn't miss.You sit down at the table and she slides the breakfast over to you with an overexaggerated wink. “Only the best for you, my liege.” You're so hungry you can't even be bothered to respond to her. You dig in and swallow hastily before asking the primary question on your mind. “How’d you get in?” “I have your spare keys,” Lea reminds you, pulling them out of her pocket and holding them up. They make a pleasant jingling noise as she shakes them. “Wouldn’t have used them, but you didn’t respond to my brilliant knocking.” <<if ($humorous > $serious)>>You pout slightly. “I thought you were the police. I was trying to remember if I had committed any crimes lately.” “I am the police. The wake up police.” She imitates a siren, the noise far too loud and irritating for this early in the day. You roll your eyes at her affectionately. It was a true mystery as to how she had this much enthusiasm in the morning.<<else>>You fix her with a blank stare, unimpressed. "Your //brilliant knocking// nearly gave me a heart attack." "That's the point," Lea rebukes, grin turning wolfish. "Means you'd be really awake. You should be thanking me, honestly." You only sigh loudly in response, giving up with this line of conversation and turning to focus on your food once more.<</if>> Now that you’re more aware of your surroundings, it strikes you that this is the last time you’ll be eating breakfast here in a while. You were no stranger to flying out for competitions, but none had been as important as this one. Over the next month, you'd take part in the most important sparring matches of your life. Soon, you could be walking out into the world as a gold medal winner. That idea feels so far removed from where you started, you can barely connect them together. You’ve barely realised that you’ve finished your food before Lea snatches the plate from in front of you. “I’ll clean this up. You bring your suitcases out here. My noodle arms weren’t built for lugging about cases,” she tells you, already having turned the tap on. There is no room for argument, so you just give her a mock salute and head back to your room.<</if>> ''[[next|leascar]]''

Lugging the two suitcases didn't take that long, the majority of the time having been spent in an elevator. You could probably sing its jingle off by heart. Lea was already in her car by the time you were done, and you slide into the passenger seat next to her. "Seatbelt on," she reminds you, sketching a grin, "Can't have you dying on my watch. I'd be a shit manager." <<if ($humorous > $serious)>>Already are," you mutter back jokingly. She places her hand over her heart in fake horror, using the other to wipe a fake tear from her eye. "You wound me greatly, $name. Now be quiet before I kick you out my car," she quips back, pulling out of the car park.<<else>>You shake your head, but do as she says dutifully. For some reason, Lea seems greatly amused by this. You quirk a questioning brow at her, and she only giggles more. "Sorry, you just remind me of my dog. Really obedient," she explains, pulling out the car park. Your following expression only makes her laugh more.<</if>> From what you remember, the airport is practically on the opposite side of the city.The car journey is around an hour long, so not painfully long. However, you still have to find a way to spend the time somehow. ''[[next|carchoices]]''

What will you do? <hr \>''[[Check my phone.|checkphone]]'' <<if $genre is "">>''[[Listen to some music.|musiccar]]<</if>> <<if $videotype is "">>''[[Watch a video.|videocar]]''<</if>> <<if ($genre is "") or ($videotype is "")>><span class="greyedout">We've arrived at the airport now.</span><<else>>''[[We've arrived at the airport.]]''<</if>>

Whose will you check? <hr \><<if $optionb is false>>''[[Check Jamie's text|jamietext]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">Check Jamie's text.</span><</if>> <<if $optiona is false>>''[[Read Alex's email.|alexemail]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">Read Alex's email.</span><</if>> <<if $optionc is false>>''[[Your mum, Alice, texted you.|alicetext]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">Your mum, Alice, texted you.</span><</if>> ''[[You're done checking your phone.|carchoices]]''

You pull up the app, and settle on watching your favourite type of video. It's a ''<<cycle "$videotype" autoselect>> <<option gaming>> <<option commentary>> <<option vlog>> <<option "fashion advice">> <<option "makeup tutorial">> <<option "video essay">> <<option "book review">> <<option "movie review">> <<option music>> <</cycle>>'' one. You press play, knowing Lea won't care if you play it out loud. She'll probably be interested in it too. You were right. The video is interspersed with her occasional, snide commentary, and one comment in particular has you choking with laughter. She could be pretty funny when she puts her mind to it. The video feels like it finishes all too soon, and you have to find other ways to pass the time. ''[[next|carchoices]]''

You open up the app and go to your favourite playlist, knowing Lea won't mind if you play the music out loud. The perks of having your best friend be your chauffeur. The playlist is full of songs in your most liked genre, ''<<cycle "$genre" autoselect>> <<option pop>> <<option indie>> <<option rock>> <<option metal>> <<option country>> <<option alternative>> <<option EDM>> <<option jazz>> <<option rap>> <<option blues>> <<option "hip hop">> <</cycle>>''. The music entertains you for a solid period of time. Occasionally, Lea taps along to the beat, or looks over at you when a song she doesn't like plays. One particular tune causes a solid five minute heated debate.However, you eventually get bored of listening to songs, and decide to find other ways to entertain yourself. ''[[next|carchoices]]''

<<set $optiona to true>><<if $alexfeelings is "crush">>You were in the small minority of people who could say that the person they have romantic feelings for only contacts you through email. Really, it would be funny, if it didn't serve as a heart wrenching reminder that you and Alex were just coach and athlete. Sighing, you click on the notification, wondering what $ahe had to say this time.<<else>>The fact that Alex would only contact you through email was nothing short of funny. You know $ahe likes $ahis distance, but did that //really// have to extend to written communication? Not even Jamie emails you, and he's a reporter. Although he's never been the standard for professionalism. Holding back a chuckle, you click open the notification.<</if>> There's no subject on the email, just main text. It reads: //Hi $name, // //Just wanted to let you know that I'll be arriving early tomorrow morning, so don't worry if you don't see me there!// //Hope your flight is safe and you don't get into any trouble on the way.// //From Alex :)// Involuntarily you snort, causing Lea to look over at you in mild alarm. The sign off was unnecessary, considering nobody else in your life emails you messages like that. <<if $alexfeelings is "crush">>And maybe the fact that Alex remembered you had a flight today made you blush a little. You had to take whatever crumbs $ahe gives you. You don't get much to feed your feelings, in all honesty.<<elseif $alexromance > 0>>Something about the whole thing makes your stomach flip. Must be nerves, you think. Couldn't possibly be due to the email. That would be ridiculous. Maybe eating breakfast this early wasn't a good idea.<<else>>It would be quite funny if everyone decided to email as their primary method of communication. Inconvenient, but funny. You should pitch the idea some time.<</if>> You begin typing up a quick email back, also omitting the subject line. <div id="alexemailresponse"> <strong><<link "Just send a normal, friendly email.">></strong><<replace "#alexemailresponse">><<set $alex to $alex + 2>><<fair_plus "$kind" +2>> //Thanks for letting me know, Alex! Make sure you fly safe too :)// //From, $name.// It's a simple, kind message, something that $ahe'd love to receive. You let a small smile tug at your lips as you exit the app. ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "Keep it professional.">></strong><<replace "#alexemailresponse">><<set $alex to $alex + 1>><<fair_plus "$professional" +4>> //Thanks for letting me know. Hope everything goes smoothly with your flight as well.// //From, $name $surname.// If Alex was going to be so professional as to use email, you would respond in kind.<<if ($casual > $professional)>>Difficult, considering how staying formal is typically in the back of your mind. Oh well.<<else>>It's not too difficult, considering that's how you normally are. The two of you were like two peas in a pod.<</if>> Exiting the app, you scan through the rest of the apps on your home screen. ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "Ignore how your cheeks burn and send a friendly email. ♡">></strong><<replace "#alexemailresponse">><<set $alex to $alex + 2>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" -2>><<set $alexromance to $alexromance + 1>> A warm rush floods through your cheeks.<<if $alexfeelings is "crush">> You're used to this type of response to anything Alex does, meaning you know how to ignore it as well.<<else>> Weird. You have no clue why you're responding like this to Alex, so you decide to ignore it. The best solution to any problem you encounter.<</if>> //Thanks for letting me know, Alex! Make sure you fly safe too :)// //From, $name.// A nice, sweet message. <<if ($rude > $kind)>>So the complete opposite of you. The irony is vaguely amusing.<<else>>$Ahe should expect nothing less from you.<</if>> You let out a long exhale as you press send and exit the app, bringing you back to your home screen. ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "Just a little flirting. As a treat. ♡">></strong><<replace "#alexemailresponse">><<set $alex to $alex + 1>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" +2>><<set $alexromance to $alexromance + 1>> <<if $alexfeelings is "crush">>How often do you get to indulge in flirting with your far too professional coach through the medium of email? Not often, is the answer. Might as well take it when you can.<<elseif $alexromance > 1>>These feelings around Alex are getting far too confusing. The smart part of your brain tells you to not do this, but you're too exhausted to listen to it. What harm could just one message to anyway?<<else>>Well, you must be exhausted if you're thinking of flirting with your coach. You're too tired to really care, though, so you draft up a message. What's the worst that could happen?<</if>> //Thanks for letting me know. Fly safe Alex, I'll be missing you lots :)// //- $name// Errs the boundary between kindness and flirtiness well, you think. You pat yourself on the back for a job well done and exit the app. ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "Don't respond.">></strong><<replace "#alexemailresponse">><<set $alex to $alex - 2>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" -2>><<fair_plus "$kind" -2>> It was an email. You shouldn't have to send emails at all, let alone this early in the morning. Alex will get a response from you when $ahe finally gets with the times. So probably never again, if you're being realistic. You let out a long exhale, pressing the home button and exiting to your home screen again. ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>></div><</link>>

<<set $optionb to true>> Originally, you hadn't wanted to give Jamie your number. For obvious reasons. However, where there's a will there's a way, and the reporter was determined to get it. You eventually handed it over just so he would shut up. He didn't normally text you, though, so you had to admit you were slightly curious. <<if $jamiefeelings is "crush">>And yeah, maybe you just wanted to talk to him. You'd never admit that though. That's a secret you're taking to your grave.<<elseif $jamieromance > 1>>There's a weird feeling in your stomach, akin to the sensation of it flipping. It's confusing and foreign, and most definitely not a feeling you associate to talking with Jamie.<<if $jamiefeelings is "hate">> It must be because you despise talking to him, you determine. It can't be anything else. You won't let it be.<</if>><<else>>Alex would tell you to just ignore it. $Ahe's never been the biggest fan of him, always rolling $ahis eyes when the reporter approaches you. The feeling doesn't seem to be mutual, which only makes it more amusing.<</if>> You click on the notification. Immediately, it reveals a picture of two cats. <<if $jamiefeelings is "hate">>They're both rolling around fighting, with the orange one baring its teeth. It would be scary if it wasn't so cute.<<elseif $jamiefeelings is "scared">>There's an older cat looking down on a smaller one, who looks slightly intimidated. <<elseif $jamiefeelings is "like">>In it, there are two cats sitting together, looking at each other. One of them is showing their teeth in what seems to be a smile.<<else>>The cats are sitting in a bed. One's wearing a grey jumper, and the other is in a cat version of a suit and tie.<</if>> Underneath it, a short text. <strong>Jamie</strong> //Us ^-^// Despite yourself, you huff out a small laugh, causing Lea to look over questioningly. You wave her off, beginning to type a message back. <div id="jamietextresponse"> <strong><<link "//Purrfect.//">></strong><<replace "#jamietextresponse">><<set $jamie to $jamie + 2>><<fair_plus "$serious" -4>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" +2>> <strong>You</strong> //Purrfect.// Probably the most basic pun you could have come up with, but it's painfully early, and your brain isn't working all too well. At least you didn't just ignore him. That would've been worse.<<if ($serious > $humorous) or ($jamiefeelings is "hate")>> Jamie probably wouldn't have even expected you to play along, with how you are.<</if>> You close the app, staring at your home screen. You still need to find a way to entertain yourself. ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "//I will block you.//">></strong><<replace "#jamietextresponse">><<set $jamie to $jamie - 2>><<fair_plus "$serious" +4>><<fair_plus "$kind" -2>> <strong>You</strong> //I will block you.// You are, put simply, not in the mood to mess around with Jamie right now. The day has barely started.<<if ($humorous > $serious)>> Normally, you'd have no problem with playing along, but this day isn't normal. You're about to go on a 12 hour flight - you aren't about to lose your mind before stepping on the plane.<<else>>You don't normally play along with his attempts and comedy, so this response shouldn't surprise him.<</if>> Belatedly, you realise Jamie will most likely take your message as a challenge. You only briefly consider blocking him now as a precaution. The reason you decide against it is only because he wouldn't shut up about it the next time you see him. What fun. Closing the app, you stare back at your home screen. Back to square one. ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "//I'd be a cat for you.// ♡">></strong><<replace "#jamietextresponse">><<set $jamie to $jamie + 2>><<fair_plus "$serious" -2>><<set $jamieromance to $jamieromance + 1>> <strong>You</strong> //I'd be a cat for you.// A really pathetic attempt at flirting, if you're honest, but it's the best you could come up with at this early in the day. You tried, and that's what matters. An A* for effort.<<if $jamiefeelings is "crush">> A part of you knows Jamie won't even acknowledge the flirtatious undertones of the message. It's most likely for the best. Getting romantically involved with a reporter who strictly writes about you would be way too messy. Not to mention how the other reporters would react. It would only harm your reputation, the one you've been carefully constructing as soon as you stepped into the spotlight. Doesn't mean you want it any less. Sighing, you exit the message app. You're back at square one.<<elseif ($jamiefeelings is "hate") and ($jamieromance > 2)>> The regret hits you like a five ton brick as soon as you press send. You've been far too nice to Jamie for someone who hates him. You might need to bring up that list of reasons why you dislike him so much just to remind you, because you seem to recently have forgotten. It's because you are tired, you determine. Last time you had just trained, and now you've just woken up. Tired. That's it. What else could it be? You close the app, not wanting to see the reporters name anymore. Back to square one.<<elseif $jamieromance > 2>> If Lea wasn't in the car, you would have screamed. These new feelings for Jamie are far too much, and the fact that they're so prominent you can't help but flirt with him? That's just the cherry on top of this pile of shit. Ignoring these feelings is the move, you quickly decide. Trying to work them out now will only distract you from your real aim. They'll dissipate after a while anyway. Such is the nature of these things. Closing the app, you let out an exhale as you look at your phone screen. Back to square one.<<else>> Although, why did you try to flirt in the first place? You aren't really sure what pushed you to send Jamie a message with those intentions. Probably just because you're tired, and it's a cheap bit of fun. Who doesn't occasionally send a risky message when they are barely conscious? You're just messing around. It's harmless. Closing the app, you work your jaw, staring at the home screen. Back to square one.<</if>> ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "//???????//">></strong><<replace "#jamietextresponse">><<set $jamie to $jamie + 1>> <strong>You</strong> //???????// Yeah. That pretty much sums up how you feel about the message. Maybe just because you're barely awake, or maybe you don't want to accidentally give Jamie more material to bug you with. Thank you, whoever created question marks. They're criminally versatile. Closing the app, you stare at your familiar home screen. Back to square one. ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "//Please only text me for serious reasons.">></strong><<replace "#jamietextresponse">><<set $jamie to $jamie - 2>><<fair_plus "$professional" +4>><<fair_plus "$serious" +2>> <strong>You</strong> //Please only text me for serious reasons.// You aren't in the mood to deal with his strange shenanigans. The least he could do is honour that and keep your texts vaguely formal. After all, you two aren't friends. <<if ($casual > $professional)>>Your relationship is more like a parasite and its host. No points for guessing who's who.<<else>>Your relationship should strictly be that of a reporter and his subject of interest. Nothing more, nothing less.<</if>> Closing the app, you stare at your familiar home screen. Back to square one. ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>></div><</link>> <strong><<link "Your cheeks warm slightly, but you respond neutrally. ♡">></strong><<replace "#jamietextresponse">><<set $jamieromance to $jamieromance + 1>><<fair_plus "$serious" +2>> The fact that Jamie thought of you and put in the effort to send you an image brought a wave of heat to your cheeks. He didn't have to, yet he did. Truly the bare minimum. But still - it was the bare minimum for //you//.<<if $jamiefeelings is "crush">> This is genuinely getting quite painful. Feeling so much for someone that you are almost certain didn't mean it in anything but a platonic way. Squelching that angsty thought down, you begin to type as normal a message as possible. <strong>You</strong> //This is what you wanted my number for?// Simple. Serious. And best of all, doesn't hint at your true feelings in anyway. Perfect. You send the message, and return to your phone home screen. Back to square one. <<elseif ($jamiefeelings is "hate") and ($jamieromance > 2)>> You are genuinely considering getting a doctor to check your brain, because something hasn't been right for the past month. You have spent the better part of your companionship with him hating his guts. He's a dickhead that turns up randomly wherever you are to pester you with questions, not a romantic option. That's not even in the cards. You type out a message. <strong>You</strong> //This is what you wanted my number for?// Simple. Serious. Doesn't acknowledge the confusing mixture of emotions you are currently experiencing. Perfect. You send the message, and return to your phone home screen. Back to square one.<<elseif $jamieromance > 2>> You're increasingly aware that you've only recently started having this type of response to Jamie. The why isn't something you want to work out now, for fear of uncovering something that would cause you to scream. It's too early to scream. Ignoring this, you begin typing out a message. <strong>You</strong> //This is what you wanted my number for?// Simple. Serious. Doesn't hint at the fact you're [i]blushing[/i] at his texts. Perfect. You send the message, and return to your phone home screen. Back to square one.<<else>> It's a weird response to Jamie, though, not one you've experienced before. You glance quickly at the screen, checking to see if Lea's turned the temperature in the car too high. She's basically cold blooded. The fact it's at a reasonable temperature causes a fog of heavy confusion to fall over you. Strange. Ignoring this, you begin to text back. <strong>You</strong> //This is what you wanted my number for?// Simple. Serious. Probably what the reporter expected. Perfect. You send the message, and return to your phone home screen. Back to square one.<</if>> ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "Don't respond.">></strong><<replace "#jamietextresponse">><<set $jamie to $jamie - 3>><<fair_plus "$kind" -4>> It's far too early to participate in Jamie's shenanigans, and he probably isn't even awake. Chances are that he won't even care that you didn't send a message back. You decide to ignore the also very probably chance that he does care and will bug you about it for the rest of time. Some optimism is deserved. You exit the messaging app, looking back at your home screen. ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>></div><</link>>

<<set $optionc to true>><<if ($mfeelings is "hate") or ($mfeelings is "strained")>>You aren't entirely sure as to why she decided to text you. The lack of communication between you hasn't ever been something you've really wanted to fix, although your mum may feel differently. Either way, you've opened up the message now, and there's no going back.<<elseif ($mfeelings is "like") or ($mfeelings is "love")>>A small smile finds its way onto your lips. You enjoy talking to your mum; she's always been pretty fun to talk to. Typically, she prefers calling, resulting in hour long conversations over the phone, so getting a text from her is most definitely out of the ordinary. You read the text, curious as to what she had to say.<<else>>Huh. Your mum typically calls whenever she wants to talk. You don't really have any strong feelings on her contacting you, but the method sure is unusual. You read the message, curious as to what she had to say.<</if>> <<if ($mfeelings is "hate") or ($mfeelings is "strained")>><strong>Mum</strong> //Saw online that you're competing in the Olympics. Stay safe, $name. We miss you. - Mum// You stare at the text for a few seconds, reading through it again. They miss you. She still signs off all her texts, even after you had told her thousands of times in the past it was unnecessary. <div id="mummiss"> <strong><<link "Despite everything, you miss them too.">></strong><<replace "#mummiss">><<set $mummiss to true>> It's tough. Part of you doesn't even like them, and another craves for what you used to have. You don't know which part will win, honestly. You don't know if you want to. <</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "You can't say the same.">></strong><<replace "#mummiss">> The past is the past, and that's where your mothers belong. Maybe a few years ago, you would've said differently. But times change, and with it, your feelings. <</replace>></div><</link>><<else>><strong>Mum</strong> //Fly safe today, $name. Wish we could have seen you, we miss you and love you. - Mum// Maybe one day she'll learn she doesn't have to sign off all her texts.<</if>> Your fingers hover over the keyboard, formulating a message to send back. A hundred different possible options run through your brain. <div id="alicetextback"> <strong><<link "//Thanks, Mum. Miss you too.//">></strong><<replace "#alicetextback">><<fair_plus "$kind" +4>> <strong>You</strong> //Thanks, Mum. Miss you too.// <<if (($mfeelings is "hate") or ($mfeelings is "strained")) and ($mummiss is true)>>Despite everything, it's the truth. Might as well say it as it is. She'll probably be surprised at your response, considering how your relationship has ended up. Once inseperable, now only found in two parts. How ironic.<<elseif ($mfeelings is "hate") or ($mfeelings is "strained")>>Yeah, maybe it isn't the most honest message considering your true feelings. But there's no real need to be mean. If lying will keep the fragments of your relationship together, you'll lie. At least it'll save you some guilt.<<else>>Seems about right. It's a nice, sweet message, something your mum would love to receive. <<if ($rude > $kind)>>She'd probably be pleasantly surprised, considering sweet isn't a word typically used to describe you.<<else>>She's always called you the sweetest grape of the bunch. A strange metaphor, considering you were an only child.<</if>><</if>> You exit the app, chewing on the side of your cheek. The same home screen as always greets you. ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "//Thanks, Alice.//">></strong><<replace "#alicetextback">><<fair_plus "$professional" +4>><<fair_plus "$serious" +4>> <strong>You</strong> //Thanks, Alice.// <<if ($mfeelings is "hate") or ($mfeelings is "strained")>>A formal message, and you're using her first name. Sums up how your relationship is pretty well, if you're honest. At least you even bothered with responding. Most other times you wouldn't. You swipe off the app, letting out a long breath. How can even one single text to her make you feel so drained? The same home screen as always lights up your face.<<elseif $mfeelings is "neutral">>A formal message, but your relationship has always erred on the side of professionalism. Just a side impact of your relationship that is stuck in the weird gray area between like and dislike. A no man's land, that both parties are too scared to step into. You swipe off the app, letting out a long breath. The same home screen as always lights up your face.<<else>>It's a more formal message than you'd usually send, but it feels fitting for the occasion. After all, you're not just their $name anymore. You're the $name that's competing in the Olympics. You also don't tend to use her first name, so you may have some questions to answer over that part when she next calls. You swipe off the app, small smile gracing your lips. The same home screen as always lights up your face.<</if>> ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "//Love you too, mum. Wish you could have come.//">></strong><<replace "#alicetextback">><<fair_plus "$kind" +4>><<set $mumcome to true>> <strong>You</strong> //Love you too, mum. Wish you could have come.// <<if ($mfeelings is "hate") or ($mfeelings is "strained")>> It's a weird contradiction to how your relationship actually is, and you don't really know where it came from. Probably your small inner child, who always thought $his mothers were the best people in the world. You'd thought that $he'd died long ago. <<if ($mummiss is false)>>You didn't even miss them. No part of you craved their presence. Yet you can't shake the residual feeling that you do actually wish they could have come. Even after everything.<<else>>It's the part of you that misses them talking. The part that used to crave $his mothers hugs after a tough day. Would they still feel the same now?<</if>> Biting your cheek, you exit the app, staring at your home screen.<<elseif $mfeelings is "neutral">>It's a more emotional message then you tend to send, considering you rarely express your love for them. Such was the nature of the emotionally stagnant no man's land you were in. Despite that, you do wish they could have come. After all, your mothers were the one who unknowingly set you off on this path. Even if they'd never dreamt it for you. Biting your cheek, you exit the app, looking back at your home screen.<<else>>A small smile tugs at your lips as you send the message. It's nice to have a solid relationship with your mothers - you can't imagine a life without them starring in it. You'd always wished they could come watch you at the biggest competition in your life, but you understand why they can't. The backlash from the press wouldn't be worth it. You exit the messaging app, eyes glossing over the other apps.<</if>> ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>><</link>> <<if ($mfeelings is "hate")>><strong><<link "//Don't text me.//">></strong><<replace "#alicetextback">><<fair_plus "$kind" -4>><<fair_plus "$professional" -2>> <strong>You</strong> //Don't text me.// You don't know why she even bothered sending you a text. The fact your relationship was beyond saving was one you had thought was mutually accepted. You're not the $child who would ask for $his mummy every time you fell over in the playground. You're older, wiser, smarter. The wool can't be pulled over your eyes anymore. The sooner this relationship becomes strictly no contact, the easier it'll be for them. //'And for you,'// a small voice whispers. //'Fuck off,'// you whisper back. ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>><</link>><<elseif ($mfeelings is "strained")>><strong><<link "//Please don't text me.//">></strong><<replace "#alicetextback">><<fair_plus "$kind" -4>><<fair_plus "$professional" +2>> <strong>You</strong> //Please don't text me.// Part of you wants to take it back. The little $child in you, the one who thought that $his mummy would always be there for $him. But you were older, wiser. Day by day the rose tinted lens faded until only the subdued truth remained. For now, and the foreseeable future, your mothers would only serve as a distraction. You aren't giving in to a fleeting moment of weakness. Not again. ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>><</link>><<else>><strong><<link "//Your support is all I need, mum <3//">></strong><<replace "#alicetextback">><<fair_plus "$kind" +4>><<fair_plus "$professional" -4>> <strong>You</strong> //Your support is all I need, mum <3// And it is. They've been backing you ever since you were a little $child. Their support is what got you through your toughest training sessions, your first big loss, disasterous interviews. You wouldn't be half the athlete you were today without what they've done for you. You'd always be grateful for that. ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>><</link>><</if>> <strong><<link "//I don't need to stay safe, my competition do :) //">></strong><<replace "#alicetextback">><<fair_plus "$arrogant" +4>><<fair_plus "$serious" -2>> <strong>You</strong> //I don't need to stay safe, my competition do :)// <<if ($mfeelings is "hate") or ($mfeelings is "strained")>>A jokey, light hearted message, avoiding addressing any actual feelings. Perfect.<<if ($humble > $arrogant) and ($serious > $humorous)>> It's pretty much the exact opposite of how you actually feel and act. You doubt your mum would be able to tell, though. You haven't had a proper conversation in a while. It's for the best. That's what you tell yourself, anyway.<<elseif ($humble > $arrogant)>> You didn't tend to act this egotistical, but anything for the joke. Not like she'd know your personality, anyway. You haven't had a proper conversation in a while. It's for the best. That's what you tell yourself, anyway.<<elseif ($serious > $humorous)>> You didn't tend to rely on humour to deflect, but they wouldn't know. You haven't had a proper conversation with her in a while.<</if>><<else>>It's a jokey, not serious message. Doesn't hurt any feelings, although your mother may give you a lecture on proper sportsmanship if she heard about it. <<if ($humble > $arrogant) and ($serious > $humorous)>> It's pretty much the exact opposite of how you actually feel and act, now you think about it. There's no way your mum wouldn't pick up on that and question you. Shit. The last questioning was around an hour long, and ended up with a talk on the importance of grounding yourself.<<elseif ($humble > $arrogant)>> You aren't typically egotistical, and she knows that well. She'd probably be more surprised than worried, if anything. You may be in for one of those lectures you got when you were just starting out in your career. Four hours of your life, gone just like that. Never again.<<elseif ($serious > $humorous)>> You don't typically rely on humour to deflect, something your mum knows all to well. You're probably in for a questioning the next time you call. The last one you had lasted for over an hour and ended in a recommendation to meditate.<</if>><</if>> Exiting the messaging app, your eyes flit quickly over the other apps. ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "Don't respond.">></strong><<replace "#alicetextback">><<fair_plus "$kind" - 4>>It's far too early to think of a suitable message to send back. She probably won't even be awake to see it, you reason with yourself.<<if ($mfeelings is "hate") or ($mfeelings is "strained")>> Honestly, she most likely doesn't expect you to respond anyway. So why bother? Why spend time and energy into defeating others expectations of you, especially if they're correct?<<else>> Still, a part of you feels guilty for not even taking five seconds to respond. You've managed to retain a decent relationship with them until now - what if this is just the start of a slippery slope down?<</if>> ''[[notifications|checkphone]]''<</replace>></div><</link>>

Soon enough, Lea’s reversed her car into a free space and is watching you haul your suitcases onto a trolley. “Thanks for your help,” you murmur sarcastically as she scrolls through her phone. Ever the mature individual, she just sticks her tongue out at you before responding. “I got up at like four am just to drive you here, $name. You’re the big strong one out of the two of us, put it to use.” Begrudgingly, you concede. She does have a point. You are pretty big and strong. “Knew you’d accept that I’m right,” Lea says smugly, having read the acceptance off your face. The downsides of having a manager who doubles as your best friend. “I always am. That’s why I’m in charge.” She laughs a little, a sound which quickly turns to screeches as you pretend to ready yourself for a fight. “I was joking, $name! Put your hands DOWN, dear God!” Once you finish loading your suitcases on the trolley, she walks with you all the way to the luggage check in. As soon as you stop to check your luggage, she launches into a seemingly pre prepared list of things that you should and shouldn’t do without her. You mostly zone out for it because the list is full of things you already knew. That is, until one statement catches your attention. “...and don’t stress too much about the press interview tomorrow, I’ll be there for it. I think.” ''[[next.|ohnopressinterview]]''

You can’t help the way your eyes widen, and Lea shoots you an apologetic grimace. “Tried to get you out of it. They wouldn’t cooperate - said you were the main attraction. Made you sound like a tollercoaster in a theme park.” Press conferences were a new thing that had grown in popularity over the past few years. Also known as the bane of your existence, they were where the competition runners forced a random selection of athletes to sit in the hot seat and get grilled by various press reporters. They were the more stressful, older brother of a typical media interview. You had done a few before, and each time you found yourself sweating as if you had just finished a five kilometre run rather than having sat down for an hour. Put simply, you absolutely hated them. And now, you have to do one at one of the biggest events in your life. Oh, and had you mentioned yet that it was streamed live to thousands of people? Snapping out of your misery, you move to address Lea. <<linkreplace "''How long?''" t8n>>\ "How long?" "Only thirty ish minutes," she tells you, attempting what you think is a reassuring smile. It doesn't particularly suit her, and her face quickly reverts to its usual expression. Thirty minutes isn't too bad. You've done longer ones before, and it seems to be a decent amount of time. Still, a catastrophe can easily happen in that short a time. You open your mouth again to ask something else. <</linkreplace>>\ <<linkreplace "''How many people?''" t8n>>\ "How many people?" Lea pulls a face, and you know that's the one she does when she's attempting to count. "It's a smaller one, only specific people allowed. Maybe 20 odd? Not including the people watching on the livestream, obviously." Great. So twenty specifically picked reporters, who are probably spectacularly talented in asking the most uncomfortable questions possible. On top of that, millions of random strangers each with their own individual brains tuning in. <</linkreplace>>\ <<linkreplace "''What will they ask?''" t8n>>\ She shrugs, the gesture extravagant. "Your guess is as good as mine. My suggestion? Prepare for the worst." Good advice, from your previous experience. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. The hope part is normally redundnt, though. <</linkreplace>>\ <<linkreplace "''Do I //really// have to?''" t8n>>\<<fair_plus "$professional" -4>>"Do I //really// have to?" Lea laughs, although the sound is more pitiful than amused. "Yes, $name. No getting out of this one." You sigh. Worth a shot, at least. <</linkreplace>>\ ''[[You're done asking questions.|airport]]''

<<if $touchaverse is true>>“Like I said though, don’t stress about it too much. Just stick to what you usually do and you’ll ace it,” she reassures, giving you a quick side hug. <<else>>“Like I said though, don’t stress about it too much. Just stick to what you usually do and you’ll ace it,” she reassures, giving you a thumbs up. <</if>>“Most likely, I’ll be there to watch it, so we can debrief on how it went after.” The ease with which Lea managed to switch from best friend to manager never fails to astound you. In return, you just offer her a quick smile, waving as she turns and walks away. The press conference was a later problem. For now, you just had to get through the rest of the airport. By the time you had made your way through luggage check in and security, an hour had already passed. You beeline towards the screens displaying the gates, trying to see if yours had come up. Quickly scanning the screen, you find it soon enough: Kathmandu, gate 4. For the first time, the Olympics this year were being hosted in the capital city of Nepal. The country was normally only known for having the tallest mountain in the world, Mount Everest. It was a shock when it was drawn as the host city, but from what you’ve heard, they’ve done a pretty decent job in building all the infrastructure necessary for an event of this scale. You’d see yourself soon enough. The next hour or so was spent browsing through duty free, wiling away the time until it was time to board. Getting on the plane was a lengthy process as always, spent mostly standing in an absurdly long queue. Finally, you get to the front, where the staff check your passport and ticket quickly before letting you through. Walking the winding corridors to the plane feels like torture after how long you’ve spent standing about. When you see the entrance, it takes all your willpower not to just immediately run onto it. Another air hostess checks your boarding pass once more before finally letting you on. As you walk through the narrow corridor, trying to find row 39, you soon realise that most of the other people on this plane were also GB athletes. Whether from recognising their face from an article, or by the logo on the jumper they were wearing, they were pretty easily identifiable. If in some unlucky scenario this plane crashed, team GB would probably lose a solid quarter of their athletes. Shaking that morbid scenario from your head, you soon approach the 39th row. Here, you have the unfortunate realisation that your seat is the middle one. This means you don’t have the benefit of a window or aisle seat, and instead get to be squished in between two random strangers. Yippee. You take your seat, with the person sitting by the window only looking up briefly before turning back to the book they were reading. Then, you stow away your backpack underneath the seat in front. There isn’t much space, and you would’ve gotten more in first class, but all the seats were probably already booked. Lea would never have missed a chance to book first class. <hr \>''[[It's fine. You have more than enough. [set height short]|planechoices][$height to "short"]] [[You'd have liked more, but you'll live. [set height average]|planechoices][$height to "average"]] [[It's pretty uncomfortable. [set height tall]|planechoices][$height to "tall"]]''

<<set $optiona to false>><<set $optionb to false>><<set $optionc to false>> Immediately, you slip your headphones out of your bag and put them on, mentally preparing yourself for the eight hour flight ahead. A quick scroll gets you to your favourite $genre playlist. The perfect soundtrack for your time. The travelling was something you were used to, but long haul flights like these always managed to wear away your nerves. You’d rather not have to sit in the same position for nearly half a day, but you don’t particularly have a choice. At least the people you were sitting next to seemed to have decent plane etiquette. There were no crying babies either - maybe you weren't that unfortunate after all. With a sigh, you shut your eyes, deciding that you’ll try to nap at least half the flight away. ''[[next.|planesleep]]''

What will you do? <hr \><<if $optiona is false>>''[[The person in the window seat is awake. Maybe they'll talk?.|persona]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">The person in the window seat is awake. Maybe they'll talk?</span><</if>> <<if $optionb is false>>''[[You'll walk up and down the plane to stretch your legs.|personb]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">You'll walk up and down the plane to stretch your legs.</span><</if>> <<if $optionc is false>>''[[The person in the aisle seat seems to want to talk.|personc]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">The person in the aisle seat seems to want to talk.</span><</if>> ''[[Back to sleep you go. [skip to end of flight]|planeend]]''

Standing up, you squeeze past the person in the aisle seat, who moves to accommodate you. After being stationary for so long stretching you legs feels like a treat. You're so focused on the feeling that you don't realise you've made your way to the area in front of the toilets until you collide with another body. <<if ($kind > $rude)>>You look up, preparing to apologise. <<else>>You look up, prepared to make some scathing remark about being more careful.<</if>> Instead, a cold chill settles over you as soon as you meet the gaze of the person. <hr \>''[[She's mad.|personb1][$lhim to "her"; $lhe to "she"; $lhis to "her"; $lhers to "hers"; $lgender to "female"; $ltitle to "Miss"; $lman to "woman"; $lbf to "girlfriend"; $Lhe to "She"; $Lhis to "Her"; $lname to "Lotus"; $lhimself to "herself"]] [[He's mad.|personb1][$lhim to "him"; $lhe to "he"; $lhis to "his"; $lhers to "his"; $lgender to "male"; $ltitle to "Mr"; $lman to "man"; $lbf to "boyfriend"; $Lhe to "He"; $Lhis to "His"; $lname to "Leo"; $lhimself to "himself"]] [[Xe's mad.|personb1][$lhim to "xem"; $lhe to "xe"; $lhis to "xyr"; $lhers to "xyrs"; $lgender to "non binary"; $ltitle to "Mx"; $lman to "person"; $lbf to "partner"; $Lhe to "Xe"; $Lhis to "Xyr"; $lname to "Louvaine"; $lsingular to true; $lhimself to "xemself"]]''

You nudge the person next to you, and when she turns you can finally judge her appearance. She's dressed in similarly casual clothes as you, her shoulder length brown hair left loose. Her features are vaguely familiar, and you assume she's also an athlete. It's only after your inspection you notice the slight amusement present in her brown eyes. <<if ($reserved > $outgoing)>>Regret floods you immediately at this. You're not an outgoing person at all, and the thought of having to start a conversation makes you want to throw up. You shouldn't have done this. She seems to notice your discomfort though, beginning to speak of her own accord.<<else>>You offer her a warm smile<<if ($rude > $kind)>>, as warm as you can manage.<<else>>.<</if>> "Sorry, just was getting bored and thought it'd be fun to talk. You seem familiar...." You trail off, leaving for her to fill in the blank. She seems to pick up on this judging by the way she begins to speak.<</if>> "I'm Kaitlyn Lee, play badminton?" she offers up, tone polite with hints of warmth coming through. You let out a small noise of realisation. That makes sense. You'd watched a few of her games before, as well as probably seeing her in the crowd of an event or two. Despite your different sports, there's a surprising amount fo crossover betweent them, especially during sponsorship events. It's her turn to wonder who you are, and she furrows her brows in thought. "Sorry if this is wrong, but aren't you the one they call the phoenix?" ''[[Ah. That nickname.|persona2]]''

You twist your body to face them slightly, and quirk a questioning brow. <<if ($rude > $kind)>>"What? Why are you looking at me like that?<<else>>"Sorry, do you need me for something?"<</if>> Your words just cause a small grin to grow on their face, revealing two crooked front teeth. The white of them stands out against their dark skin, with brown curls falling haphazardly over their hazel eyes. You didn't think they were a face you'd seen before. "Thought so," they murmur, a light Spanish accent littering their words. They then seemingly realise you had no idea who they were. "Oh! Sorry for being rude, I forgot. I'm Javier, he/him. I'm a new athlete. It's my first time here." "Same," you respond. When he nods knowingly, you arch an inquiring brow. Did this athlete also happen to be a fan. "I've seen you in the news," he explains, leaning back slightly. "You're even more attractive in person." Oh. You didn't expect this to happen on your flight. <hr \>''[[Flirt back. Why not?|personc1][$convooption to 1]] [[Play it off casually.|personc1][$convooption to 2]] [[You're not a fan. Shut it down bluntly.|personc1][$convooption to 3]] [[Blush, unsure how to reply.|personc1][$convooption to 4]] [[Ignore it and continue on.|personc1][$convooption to 5]]''

The next time you open your eyes, it's because of the sensation of the plane slowly descending. A crackly voice comes through the speakers, announcing the time and temperature of the local area. Rubbing your eyes, you stretch upwards, mentally preparing yourself for the hellish experience that is the arrivals section of the airport. Getting off the plane is a rush as usual, and you find yourself practically squeezing out the plane. The security checks go fairly smoothly. Soon enough, you've grabbed your two large suitcases off the belt and are out of the airport. The sun is just setting as you thread through various crowds, painting the sky in strokes of orange and pink. All you can hear is the collection of shouts and yells by multiple salesmen and taxi drivers trying to lure you in. The other athletes from your plane are also making their way out now, also attempting to find their own transportation. Luckily for you, there's a free taxi nearby, and the driver is nice enough to help you store your luggage in the back. ''[[Now, to the olympic village.]]''

$Lhe <<if $lsingular is true>>smiles<<else>>smile<</if>>, all teeth and no warmth, and you can't help but feel as though you've walked into a trap. "You've got eyes, birdie. Use them," $lhe <<if $lsingular is true>>croons<<else>>croon<</if>>, smirking. Your eyes scan over $lhis features. Brown hair, cut so messily you can't make out the style. Blue eyes, striking against $lhis tan skin, gazing harshly at you. It clicks. "$lname Louissant." The name falls from your lips before you can even process it. More commonly known as the most popular athlete in the Olympics right now. A gymnast, specialising in the pommel horse, something evident when you glance at $lhis bare arms. $Lhis smirk grows, a harsh look in $lhis remniscient of a sharpened blade. The tone of $lname's voice is husky, only saved from being corrosive by a note of sweetness. Real or manufactured, you can't tell. "So observant, $surname. Too bad it couldn't stop you running into me." $Lhe <<if $lsingular is true>>cocks<<else>>cock<</if>> $lhis head, and it simultaneously reads as both a challenge and a question. <hr \>''[[Yeah, you're not doing this. Leave.|personb2][$convooption to 1]] [[Mumble an apology and leave.|personb2][$convooption to 2]] [[Tilt your head. "What will you do? Punish me?"|personb2][$convooption to 3]] [[You can't stand this. Make a dig back.|personb2][$convooption to 4]] [[Try diffuse the tension with a joke.|personb2][$convooption to 5]] [[Blush slightly, unsure what to do.|personb2][$convooption to 6]]''

<<if $convooption is 1>>You're typically a fight rather than a flight person, but you aren't about to get into an altercation up in the air. You can save that for after you touch down, on the mat. You prefer to do things properly. $lname's mocking laughter chases you as you walk back to your seat, and you have the haunting feeling you've just escaped from something very dangerous. <<elseif $convooption is 2>>You aren't about to feed into $lhis ego by playing into $lhis weird little game. $lname's not the guy from Saw - and you're not some masochist desperate for pain. "Sorry," you mutter, before turning around to leave. $lname's following laughter sounds both mocking and surprised, and it chases you all the way back to your seat. You can't help but feel as though you've narrowly escaped something very dangerous.<<elseif $convooption is 3>>There was a disgustingly attractive $lman in front of you, and $lhe offered you a chance on a silver plate. You just had to take the opportunity with both hands. Your response doesn't seemed to have flustered $lname at all, in fact, $lhe <<if $lsingular is true>>looks<<else>>look<</if>> even more confident. Despite this, the silence stretches on, enough so you begin thinking that you won't receive a response. That thought is chased away as $lhe <<if $lsingular is true>>opens<<else>>open<</if>> $lhis mouth. "So bold, birdie," $lhe <<if $lsingular is true>>coos<<else>>coo<</if>>, leaning in until $lhe's just inches away. $Lhis breath ghosts across your skin, so faint it's barely there. "We'll see if you can put your money where your mouth is." <div id="lresponse"> <strong><<link "Of course you can. ❣">></strong><<replace "#lresponse">><<set $lsituation to true>> "Of course I can." Your response only fuels $lhim further. "Quite the confident one, hm? Won't get you anywhere with me." $Lhe <<if $lsingular is true>>pulls<<else>>pull<</if>> back to scan your face, eyes sparkling when you squirm slightly. You have a horrible feeling that you're well and truly in $lhis battleground now, and you're unarmed. $lname then abruptly turns, breaking the moment. $Lhe couldn't even bother to dignify you with a goodbye. Slightly jarred, you make your way back to your seat, staunchly ignoring the way your cheeks still burn.<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "Scoff. As if they'll see.">></strong><<replace "#lresponse">> "As if you'll see." $Lhe <<if $lsingular is true>>pulls<<else>>pull<</if>> back to scan your face, eyes sparkling when $lhe <<if $lsingular is true>>realises<<else>>realise<</if>> you're serious. "Hm. If you say so." $lname then abruptly turns, breaking the moment. $Lhe couldn't even bother to dignify you with a goodbye. Slightly jarred, you make your way back to your seat, staunchly ignoring the way your cheeks still burn.<</replace>></div><</link>> <<elseif $convooption is 4>>Maybe it isn't the best idea to provoke someone on a metal cylinder up in the sky. But it's what you will do anyway.<<if ($kind > $rude)>>The fact you even want to be vaguely mean to this $lman says multitudes, especially considering your typically nice nature.<<else>>You're not the nicest anyway, and $lhe's just adding fuel to the fire.<</if>> "Wouldn't have run into you if I knew you'd be such a dickhead," you respond, placing emphasis on the last word. $lname only <<if $lsingular is true>>cackles<<else>>cackle<</if>>, which isn't really the response you want from someone who you've tried to insult. "You're cute, $surname. Leave that attitude to others," $lhe <<if $lsingular is true>>mocks<<else>>mock<</if>>, turning to leave. That's all the goodbye you get. You follow suit, spinning around. As you make your way back to your seat, you can't shake the feeling that you've just been tested. You aren't sure if you passed or not. <<elseif $convooption is 5>><<if ($humorous > $serious)>>You're in a weird situation, and it's time to fall back on your usual method of responding: a joke. "Think you've triggered my fight or //flight// response," you respond lightheartedly, giving $lhim a charming smile. You only get a scoff in response, although it does sound faintly amused. Mission success. In your eyes at least. "You're cute, $surname. But you can't clown your way through everything." $lname <<if $lsingular is true>>tells<<else>>tell<</if>> you, all traces of amusement gone. And with that $lhe <<if $lsingular is true>>leaves.<<else>>leave.<</if>> You are left to stare at $lhis retreating back, before eventually making your own exit. As you walk back, you can't shake the feeling you've escaped something very dangerous<<else>>You don't typically rely on humour to get you through things, but you should always try new things. "Think you've triggered my fight or //flight// response," you joke, attempting to inject levity in your tone. It doesn't land. At all. $lname <<if $lsingular is true>>raises<<else>>raise<</if>> a brow, and you feel increasingly self conscious. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to try to be funny right now. "Humour doesn't really suit you, $surname. Don't try to be someone you aren't," $lhe <<if $lsingular is true>>tells<<else>>tell<</if>> you, the disapproval evident on their face. And with that ominous warning $lhe <<if $lsingular is true>>leaves<<else>>leave<</if>>. You're just left to stare at $lhis retreating form, before making your own way back. As you walk, you can't help but feel you've escaped something dangerous.<</if>> <<else>><<if ($outgoing > $reserved)>>You aren't typically a shy person, but something about this situation is making you deeply uncomfortable.<<else>>You aren't the best with social situations anyway. Mix that with a weird challenge and you're utterly useless.<</if>> Heat rushes to your cheeks, and you curse your body for responding in this way. $lname, on the other hand, seems to love it, based off the way $lhis smirk grows. "So shy, $surname. It's a shame. Could've been fun," $Lhe <<if $lsingular is true>>gives<<else>>give<</if>> you a mock salute, before turning and walking away. You're left to wonder what $lhe meant. As you make your way back to your own seat, the feeling that you've escaped something dangerous follows.<</if>> <<set $optionb to true>> ''[[next|planechoices1]]''

You had seen the Olympic Village what felt like hundreds of times: through social media, videos or news reports. But nothing could have possibly prepared you for what you saw when the taxi pulled up to the compound. Tower blocks as tall as skyscrapers reached into the abyss above, covered in spotless glass panels which had light shining through them. On balconies, various flags had been hung out, adorning the otherwise blue block with bright pops of colour. You could recognise some of them - Brazil, China, France. People milled about the entrance, some congregating in groups, others fighting a losing battle with their luggage. The whole place felt so //alive// even though it was the dead of night. The driver turns to tell you the price, and you shell out the necessary notes. Sliding out the car, you’re immediately hit by a block of humidity. Above, stars twinkle in the inky black sky, pinpricks of light in the dark. It is monsoon season currently, so clear skies are rare. Moving to the back of the car, you pull out your two large suitcases, having already donned your backpack. You tap your pocket, reassured by the feel of your ID sitting safely in it. Then you make your way in. A blast of air conditioning hits you as soon as you enter, a welcome respite from the warmth outside. You quickly spot a bored looking receptionist sitting behind a desk, and the strange feeling of déjà vu creeps up your back. Making your way over, you skim the nametag on the shirt. Arjun, he/him. “ID, please?” he asks, voice as monotone as humanly possible. Dutifully, you pass it over. <hr \>''[[Friendly conversation time!|hotelroom][$convooption to 1]] [[It's late. You're tired. Ask him to hurry up.|hotelroom][$convooption to 2]] [[Stay silent. You don't have the energy to talk.|hotelroom][$convooption to 3]] [[Polite small talk is as far you'll go.|hotelroom][$convooption to 4]]''

<<if $convooption is 1>><<fair_plus "$kind" +4>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" +4>> <<if ($reserved > $outgoing) or ($rude > $kind)>>You must be really tired if you're about to willingly engage someone in kind conversation. Oh well. Here goes nothing.<<else>>Even if it's the middle of the night, you're not missing out on a chance to talk to people. Being friendly is always worth it in your eyes.<</if>> "So," you begin as cheerfully as possible, "What do you recommend doing here?" The receptionist doesn't stop typing, but he does deign you a response. "Not much, considering it's monsoon season currently." His brows furrow in thought. "Although if you can spare the time going to the night markets is worth it. Try to not make it too obvious you're a foreigner, though. May get robbed." And with that, the conversation ends. At least you learnt something. You spend the rest of the time staring down at your phone until his voice pulls you back to reality.<<elseif $convooption is 2>><<fair_plus "$kind" -4>><<if ($kind > $rude)>>You aren't the type of person who tends to ask people to hurry, but you'll make an exception for now.<<else>>By the amount of times you had requested for faster services, you'd be considered an expert in the field.<</if>> "Could you hurry?" you ask, voice clipped. The receptionist just looks up, unimpressed, then returns to his laptop. "I don't want to keep you here longer than necessary. Trust me, I'm hurrying as much as I can." He tells you, equally annoyed. Point taken. You stare down at your suitcases. They were definitely more battered than when you left England. Did they chuck them onto the plane? You can only hope your equipment isn't somehow damaged. You continue your meaningless observations for a few minutes before his voice pulls you back to reality.<<elseif $convooption is 3>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" -2>>Instead, you content yourself with looking around the reception area. It has a wooden floor, with a couch and table nesting in the far corner. Posters are messily stuck to a corkboard. You think you can make out one promoting the lesser known sports at the Olympics, including sailing. Another is emblazoned with the logo of a band you don't recognise. To your right is a pair of elevators. At least you won't have to walk up the stairs with your suitcases. The receptionists voice pulls you out of your inspection.<<else>><<fair_plus "$kind" +2>>"So, how are you?" you begin, in the awkward way that small talk always tends to begin. The receptionist doesn't even look up. "We don't need to do that. I'd take the silence over small talk any day." Point taken. You didn't exactly know what to follow it up with anyway. Do people make meaningless talk about the weather in every country? You stare down at your suitcases for a few minutes before his voice pulls you back to reality.<</if>> “Floor 13, room 304,” he informs you, handing your ID back with a keycard. You offer a small smile in return and head over to the elevator, suitcases in tow. The ride up was uneventful, soundtracked by stereotypical elevator music. Despite it being on the other side of the world it reminds you of home. As the doors slide open, they reveal a long, carpeted corridor, with rooms on each side. You walk along it for what feels like years until you finally find the one that reads 304. Tapping the keycard on the sensor, you wait for the beep to push open the door into what would be your home for the next month. The room itself was nothing out of the ordinary - it had all the basic things you’d expect. What stood out was the view. From up here, you could see the whole skyline of Kathmandu, a patchwork of multicolored lights against the inky black sky. All of this was backdropped by the emerald green hills surrounding the valley. You were lucky enough to get a balcony, so you slide the door open to stand on it, leaving your cases behind. The feel of cold marble on your feet was worth it for this sight. A smile tugging on your lips, you reenter the room, deciding that it’s better to start unpacking sooner rather than later. You did have somewhere to be tomorrow, or today, after all. You’re only half done when the allure of sleep becomes too great to ignore, and you’re pratically already asleep by the time your head hits the pillow. ''[[next|thenextday]]''

<<set $optiona to false>><<set $optionb to false>><<set $optionc to false>><<set $timespend to 0>>The next time you wake up, the sun is barely peeking through the curtains. Your phone tells you its 11 am. Most likely, the jetlag caused you to wake up this late - as an athlete, you're weirdly used to six am starts. Stretching, you pull yourself out of bed, padding over to the bathroom. As you freshen up, you consider all the things you could do today. First on the list is unpacking. Better to get it done before you fall asleep again. Either that, or you just live out of a suitcase for the next weeks. You watch in the mirror as your own reflection scrunches up in thought. From what you remember, the press conference starts far later in the day. The exact time slips from your thoughts. They had a whole lineup of athletes; you were just the closing act. It'd be revealed later whether this was a good thing or not. Apart from that pretty major event, the day is yours for the taking. You could do whatever your heart desires. After breakfast, of course. You're not doing anything on an empty stomach. ''[[next|timespendday]]''

<<set $optiona to true>><<set $timespend to $timespend + 1>><<if $trainingsession is 0>><<set $trainingsession to 1>>It takes you a while to locate the training area, having to follow some winding corridors and one set of far too long stairs. When you finally make the turn into the area, however, it quickly reveals that the journey was most definitely worth it. It was chock full of equipment worth far more than you'd ever make, from rowing machines to various weights in the corner. The faint whirr of the air conditioning played as a backdrop to the noises of treadmills and clanking of metal. To the right, you could just about make out a set of mats on the floor, most likely for martial artists just like you to practice on. Ceiling to floor windows provided a view of the emerald rolling hills, specked with multiple colourful buildings on the side. As far as places you had trained go, this was most definitely one of the prettiest. You're only broken from your stupor by a faint chuckling. "Great minds think alike, hm? Thought you'd be resting." The voice could only belong to one person: Alex. You spin around to face $ahim. <<if $height is "short">>$Ahe's closer than you expected, and you're practically eye level with $ahis chest.<<elseif $height is "average">>$Ahe's closer than you expected, and you're practically eye level with $ahis neck.<<else>>$Ahe's closer than you expected, and you're practically eye level with $ahis face.<</if>><<if ($alexfeelings is "crush")>> You take a cautionary step back, praying that the sound of your stomach flipping isn't somehow audible to the entire gym. The last thing you need is for everyone to know about your taboo crush on your coach.<<elseif ($alexromance > 2)>>You take a cautionary step back, weirdly aware of the smell of Alex's cologne. The way your heart flips is so completely foreign it nearly winds you completely. The nerves must have really gotten to you.<<else>> You take a cautionary step back, not wanting to accidentally bump into $ahim. $Ahe's pretty terrible at gauging what appropriate distances are.<</if>> Alex smiles slightly at your movement, before jutting $ahis chin out to the equpiment. "So, what're you doing today? <<if ($earpiercing is true) or ($nosepiercing is true)>>After you take out your piercing, of course. Can't believe you still forget.<<else>>You seem pretty well prepared for the session today.<</if>>"<</if>> <hr \>''[[Every day is leg day.|legs]] [[You need to work on my arms.|arms]] [[Maybe Alex would be up for some tactical work?|tactics]] [[You'll ask Alex to help you improve your instincts.|instincts]] [[Working on your offence seems good.|offence]] [[Your blocks could use some work.|defence]]''

<<set $optionc to true>><<if $mediapresence is 0>>Athletes have needed to be more than just good at their sport for a while. Lea's always drilled into your head the importance of maintaining a good social media presence. It's a strange balance between posting enough and not too much, interacting with the good fans and not the weird ones. You still haven't exactly wrapped your head around what a parasocial relationship even is. Flicking through the various apps, you realise it had been a while since you had posted anything on any social media apps. Three weeks, to be precise, and that was just a repost of the athletes announcement by Team GB. If you weren't careful, your follower count would start to dip as people lose interest in you. Apparently simply nbeing an interesting person wasn't enough anymore. You hum, tapping on your phone as you considering what to post. <hr \>''[[Post a collection of selfies you'd taken.|mediapresence1][$convooption to 1]] [[You have some photos of the scenery you'll use.|mediapresence1][$convooption to 2]] [[Diverge from the norm, and post some more comical photos of yourself.|mediapresence1][$convooption to 3]] [[There were some photos from an old photoshoot: post those.|mediapresence1][$convooption to 4]] [[On second thoughts, you don't want to post.|mediapresence1]]''<</if>>

<<if ($timespend is 0)>><<healthrenew 20>><<elseif ($timespend is 1)>><<healthrenew 10>><<else>><<healthrenew 5>><</if>>Fighting as your job is no easy thing, and as you sink into your bed you can feel your muscles thanking you. The rest of your time is spent in a blissful state of unconsciousness. <<if ($gamechapter is "chapter one")>>''[[Time for the press interview.|pressinterview]]''<</if>>

The hour hand on the clock was inching towards five, and you’re pacing in the waiting room. Lea and Alex are sitting in nearby chairs, chatting animatedly amongst themselves. Something about the show she had been asking you to watch. It seems as though Lea's finally found someone to rant about it to. Alex's the most enthusiastic you've ever heard $ahim. At one point, $ahe even makes a particular argument so funny that it causes Lea to collapse into a fit of giggles. Introducing those two was both the best and worst idea you've ever had. The athlete before you was just finishing up, the applause causing the room to shake slightly. It will be your turn soon. In less than five minutes, you would be sitting in a chair, in front of a crowd of reporters. All of them with their own personal agenda. Most likely, their questions would be tailored to make you as uncomfortable as possible. You estimate they’ll probably manage around three questions, if you ramble enough to fill the time. There's also the switchover time to account for, as well as the time they need to scribble down whatever they've twisted your words into. It was an art, dealing with the press. A careful balancing game between answering their questions and not actually revealing anything they can manipulate you with. You look down at your outfit, making sure it’s clean enough. You’ve chosen <hr \><<if ($style is "business formal") or ($style is "academic")>>''[[Your normal style is formal enough - you wear that.|walkingin][$goodfashion to true; $convooption to 1]] [[You try out a less formal style.|walkingin][$goodfashion to true; $convooption to 2]]''<<else>>''[[A more formal style than normal.|walkingin][$goodfashion to true; $convooption to 3]] [[Your typical style.|walkingin][$convooption to 4]]''<</if>>

<<widget "healthrenew">><<set $health to Math.clamp($health + $args[0], 0, 100)>><</widget>>

<<if $convooption is 1>>You dressed pretty formal every day anyway, so you had the clothes for it. The press shouldn't find any complaints with your outfit today. Not a wrinkle ou tof place, just as they like it.<<elseif $convooption is 2>>Trying a new style in front of a crowd of press reporters was certainly a bold move, but oh well. Can't change it now. And fortune favours the bold, right?<<elseif $convooption is 3>>Your normal style wasn't the most sophisticated, so you decided to avoid it today. Don't need the press to comment on yet another choice of yours.<<else>>Maybe not the most formal thing, but it represents you well. Why stray from what you know when you do it so well?<</if>> Hastily, you brush your clothes down, trying desperately to straigthen out any potential wrinkles. Lea watches your actions and chuckles a little, a smile growing on her lips. <<if $touchaverse is false>>“Stress only makes it worse, $name. You’ll ace this. You’ve done it before, you’ll do it again,” she tells you, poking your sides playfully. You squirm from her touch, only eliciting an evil giggle out of her and more poking.<<else>>“Stress only makes it worse, $name. You’ll ace this. You’ve done it before, you’ll do it again,” she tells you, wiggling her fingers at you. You quirk an eyebrow at her, only eliciting an evil giggle and more agressive wiggling. <</if>> Out of the corner of your eye, you catch Alex stifling $ahis laughter with the palm of $ahis hand. $Ahe has a habit of never properly laughing freely - it's one of those things you've picked up on over the years you've trained with $ahim. At least one person can find amusement out of your suffering. A head poking through the door interrupts your fun. The eyebags under their eyes give away their exhaustion, probably from having to run to and from so many places. Their voice is similarly exhausted. “$Mx $surname? You’re up next.” Those few words drain the joyous energy out of the room. You draw a shaky breath, suddenly conscious of every single part of your appearance. Alex stands up, and together $ahim and Lea make their way to the door that leads to the back of the hall. “We’ll be at the back,” your coach tells you, in a reassuring tone. “Just for moral support.” You offer a weak smile, watching the pair slip through the door. The assistant clears their throat in a polite attempt to regain your attention. You turn your gaze back to them, and they gesture towards a door further down. “Just through there will take you straight to the stage. Good luck!” You nod once at them, before heading towards the door. It's time to put on a show. The bright lights pound down on you as soon as you enter, and you resist the urge to squint. The hall seems packed from a quick glance. Walking onto the stage, you straighten your back quickly, hearing the click of what seems like thousands of cameras. The table where you’ll be sitting is perfectly centred, and you slide the seat out and sit. As you look out onto the crowd, all the faces seem to blur into one, tens of reporters each holding their own notebooks and pens. There’s tense whispers bouncing through the hall, a quiet buzz of anticipation that makes your head ache. Something doesn't feel quite right though, and as you scan the room for a second time it hits you. Jamie’s not here. The reporter had never before missed one of your press conferences, typically being in the front row for all of them. This was peculiar indeed. <hr \>''[[Thank fuck for that.|jamienoshowthoughts][$convooption to 1]] [[It's weird not seeing him there.|jamienoshowthoughts][$convooption to 2]] [[It hurts. ♡|jamienoshowthoughts][$convooption to 3]] [[He's probably just busy.|jamienoshowthoughts][$convooption to 4]] [[You don't really care.|jamienoshowthoughts][$convooption to 5]]''

<<if $convooption is 1>><<if ($jamiefeelings is "hate")>>Maybe he's finally stopped being obsessed with you and moved on! The thought is so brilliant it nearly results in you grinning from cheek to cheek. The only reason you don't is because the crowd in front of you don't need anything more ammunition. A brilliant, Jamie free crowd. Maybe this won't be so bad after all.<<elseif ($jamiefeelings is "scared")>>It feels like a massive weight has been lifted off your shoulders. You can breathe slightly easier now that you don't have to worry about him being in the crowd. Nothing these reporters could ask you would be worse than what Jamie had in store. Some may call it an irrational fear, but thos epeople have never met him. You've got this.<<else>>You don't normally hate Jamie being there, but the questions he asked could be intense. Right now, the less prying questions the better. You don't need even more stress - it may be the final nail in the coffin. You can do this.<</if>><<elseif $convooption is 2>><<if $jamiefeelings is "hate">>Not that you want him here or anything. In fact, it makes your life considerably more enjoyable now that he's not. But his face in the crowd felt like a constant in your existence. Losing constants is always strange. Either way, it's probably for the best. The less questions, the better when it came to these things. You've got this.<<elseif ($jamiefeelings is "scared")>>It's most definitely for the best he's not here. After all, the guy makes your heart rate increase whenever you see him, and not in a sexy way. You don't need the extra stress of having him in the crowd to impact you. Still feels odd that he'd not here, though. Jamie coming to interview you was one of the constants in your life. You shake the thought from your head. Now is not the time to dwell on things like this. You can do this.<<else>>Jamie would never miss an opportunity like this normally. In fact, he's told you previously how many other events he's passed up on just to make your interviews. Based off this, the fact yo can't see his face in the crowd is nothing other than odd. Probably for the best, though. The less questions, the better when it came to these things. You've got this.<</if>><<elseif $convooption is 3>><<set $jamieromance to $jamieromance + 1>><<if $jamiefeelings is "crush">>It's a stupid feeling for a stupid situation. Logically, not having him here is //great//. The less questions, the better. Yet the side of you led by your heart can't help but ache. Does this mean he doesn't care for you anymore? The thought is enough to make your hands clammy. How can you lose someone before they're even yours? You mentally shake the thoughts from your head. The last thing you need now is a crisis about your potential romantic failures. Focus on what's in front of you now. You've got this.<<elseif $jamiefeelings is "hate">>You dismiss the feeling as soon as it arrives. Funny joke. The only thing that hurts is the fact you can't bully him for his rubbish question at the end of this whole ordeal. Without him, this interview's gotten a whole lot easier. That's all that matters.<<elseif ($jamieromance > 2)>>You're half convinced you need to get an MRI to make sure that your brain is still in one piece. Why has Jamie's presence (or lack thereof) impacted you so much recently? It's complicated and //unnecessary//, and you just want things to go back to what they were. These new feelings about Jamie are just a byproduct of stress and tiredness. As soon as you're done with this, you'll remember why he'd be a less than ideal partner for you. You shake the thoughts from your head. They're irrelevant, and the last thing you need now is to panic about your over life. Focus on what's in front of you now. You've got this.<<else>> It's a strange thing to feel in this scenario, that's for sure. Probably just a byproduct of your nerves. Not something to dwell on. It's always weird to not see a familiar face in the crowd. You've got this.<</if>><<elseif $convooption is 4>>There's no way he could always follow you around. There's probably no deeper meaning to the situation: it's just a matter of him not having the time.<<if $jamiefeelings is "crush">> But logic doesn't dull the pain. In fact, it's only making it worse. You aren't even important enough for him to come to the biggest interview of your //life.// There's no way he considers you as anything but an acquaintance, let alone a possible love interest. You shake the thoughts from your head. Now's not the time to be a lovesick idiot. You have an interview to do. You've got this.<<elseif ($jamieromance > 2)>> For some reason, that logic doesn't help. It makes you feel a different kind of hurt, one that's too close to your heart. The pain feels unnatural and //new//, as though you've been stabbed and just realised it. You shake those feelings from your head. The sensations are just a result from the stress you're under now. After all, you do have an interview to do. You've got this.<<else>> The logic calms you down a little, and you realise that the fact he's not here is for the better. The less questions there are, the smaller the chance of you messing up. Any pain you feel is a manifestation of the stress you're under. You've got this.<</if>><<else>>It doesn't particularly matter that Jamie's not there. You still have to deal with another twenty press reporters. Each of them with their own agenda, with most of them likely to be just as if not worse than Jamie. At least he seems to have the decency to not slander your every life decision. The only way the lack of his presence matters is that you have less questions to deal with now. You've got this.<</if>> The sound of the assistants words pierces through your thoughts. A dull voice, one tired of repeating the same thing over and over. "You know the drill. Same as with the other athletes, as many question as possible in the time slot. $name reserves the right not to answer whatever questions they wish. Live stream is back on in 3, 2-" Instantly, they turn to face the camera in the very centre with a dazzling smile, one honed through years of camerawork. Their tone is a far cry from the near boredom that was present before. "Thanks for sticking with us, folks. Now on the hot seat is the one and only $name $surname!" They gesture a hand towards you, and you straighten up. ''[[Time for the questions.|q1]]''

<<set $workout = random(0, 3)>><<set $legs to $legs + 10>><<set $health to $health -5>><<if $workout is 0>>You spend your time doing a circuit of various leg workouts with the weights. Alex watches over you to ensure you aren't slacking, or, more dangerously, pushing yourself too hard. The session is hard, and tiring, but you definitely feel as though your lower body strength has improved. <<elseif $workout is 1>>Alex helps you tug out a mat into the centre of the room, and you spend a while working on your form and technique. Doing the same kick a thousand times most definietly got boring, but you can begrudgingly admit your technique has improved. Every little thing helps.<<elseif $workout is 2>>In a strange twist, Alex decides to work on your lower body flexibility today. $Ahe helps you find a yoga mat and gives you a variety of exercises to perform, whilst also attempting to politely stifle $ahis giggles when you inevitably fall over. By the end, you're more bruised but also more flexible than before.<<else>>Somehow, Alex manages to procure some focus pads for you to use. You decide not to question how $ahe obtained them, but instead focus on your precision and accuracy. $Ahe pushes the limits of your reach and speed by placing them in puprosefully difficult positions, and by the end you feel as though your legs don't work anymore.<</if>> ''[[Training's over.|timespendday]]''

<<set $workout = random(0, 3)>><<set $arms to $arms + 10>><<set $health to $health -5>><<if $workout is 0>>You spend your time doing a circuit of various arm workouts with the weights. Alex watches over you to ensure you aren't slacking, or, more dangerously, pushing yourself too hard. The session is hard, and tiring, but you definitely feel as though your upper body strength has improved. <<elseif $workout is 1>>Alex helps you tug out a mat into the centre of the room, and you spend a while working on your form and technique. Doing the same few punches a thousand times most definietly got boring, but you can begrudgingly admit your technique has improved. Every little thing helps.<<elseif $workout is 2>>In a strange twist, Alex decides to work on your agility today, saying it's important for upper body techniques. $Ahe gives you a variety of exercises to work on your speed and flexibility, politely pretending to not notice when you don't do a technique properly. You end the session both more agile and annoyed at $ahim.<<else>>Somehow, Alex manages to procure some focus pads for you to use. You decide not to question how $ahe obtained them, but instead focus on your precision and accuracy. $Ahe pushes the limits of your reach and speed by placing them in puprosefully difficult positions, and by the end you feel as though your arms don't work anymore.<</if>> ''[[Training's over.|timespendday]]''

<<set $workout = random(0, 3)>><<set $tactics to $tactics + 10>><<set $health to $health -5>><<if $workout is 0>>After a bit of pestering, you manage to get Alex to spar with you. Without equipment, you can't safely do proper contact, so you resort to no contact. It works well enough, especially as your focusing more on where would be best to hit than actually attacking. You feel as though you have a more solid understanding of how to act in sparring situations by the end.<<elseif $workout is 1>>Despite your attempt to argue its benefits, Alex isn't willing to spar with you today. Instead, $ahe manages to wrangle another martial artist of a similar height to you to help you with your training. The different fighting style makes you more aware of different techniques you could use, and you feel your tactical knowledge increasing.<<elseif $workout is 2>>With some mental gymnastics Alex manages to convince you that watching other taekwondo sparring matches would help. You move to a different room, and $ahe talks you through various other fights, pointing out their strengths and weaknesses. Despite not doing any physical work, you're still tired by the end.<<else>>Alex decides to take a different approach to your tactical training today. $Ahe decides to remind you of the points you gain if you strike, different points of the body, and quizzes you on them. Despite the lack of physical training, you're still exhausted by the end of it.<</if>> ''[[Training's over.|timespendday]]''

<<set $workout = random(0, 3)>><<set $instinct to $instinct + 10>><<set $health to $health -5>> <<if $workout is 0>>After a bit of pestering, you manage to get Alex to spar with you. Without equipment, you can't safely do proper contact, so you resort to no contact. It works well enough, especially as your focusing more on the most natural sequence of attacks. You feel as though you have a more solid understanding of what techniques and patterns best fit you. <<elseif $workout is 1>>Despite your attempt to argue its benefits, Alex isn't willing to spar with you today. Instead, $ahe manages to wrangle another martial artist of a similar height to you to help you with your training. The different fighting style tests your ability to change your attacking and defending style under pressure, and you feel as though you have greater instinctive understanding of the game by the end. <<elseif $workout is 2>>With some mental gymnastics Alex manages to convince you that watching other taekwondo sparring matches would help. You move to a different room, and $ahe talks you through various other fights, pointing out how they use ther weaknesses and strengths to their advantage. Despite the lack of physical activity, you're still tired by the end. <<else>>Alex decides to take a different approach to improve your instincts today. $Ahe makes you go back through your old one step sparring activites, a simplified version of free sparring. This less complicated version helps you focus on your sequences and patterns more, and you feel more confident in your abilities by the end.<</if>> ''[[Training's over.|timespendday]]''

<<set $workout = random(0, 3)>><<set $offense to $offense + 10>><<set $health to $health -5>><<if $workout is 0>>After a bit of pestering, you manage to get Alex to spar with you. Without equipment, you can't safely do proper contact, so you resort to no contact. Although less effective, you can still feel your offensive capabilites increasing whenever you manage to lightly strike Alex with an attack.<<elseif $workout is 1>>Despite your attempt to argue its benefits, Alex isn't willing to spar with you today. Instead, $ahe manages to wrangle another martial artist of a similar height to you to help you with your training. Although their fighting style doesn't match taekwondo exactly, you can still practise your attacks well enough.<<elseif $workout is 2>>With some mental gymnastics Alex manages to convince you that practicing your old patterns will help your offence. You're a bit rusty at first, but eventually you fall into the rhythm, and you can admit that $ahe was right. The sequences helo you work on your flow and improve the smoothness of your attacks.<<else>>Alex decides to forgo the actual attacks for your training today for agility. $Ahe forces you to do a variety of exercises designed to improve your agility so you can attack in a wider range of ways. Moving unpredictably makes your strikes harder to avoid, and by the end of the session you can admit you feel more confident in your abilities.<</if>> ''[[Training's over.|timespendday]]''

<<set $workout = random(0, 3)>><<set $defence to $defence + 10>><<set $health to $health -5>> <<if $workout is 0>>After a bit of pestering, you manage to get Alex to spar with you. Without equipment, you can't safely do proper contact, so you resort to no contact. Although less effective, you can still feel your defensive capabilites increasing whenever you manage to dodge one of $ahis attacks.<<elseif $workout is 1>>Despite your attempt to argue its benefits, Alex isn't willing to spar with you today. Instead, $ahe manages to wrangle another martial artist of a similar height to you to help you with your training. Although the attacks aren't exactly what you'd face in a match, they're good enough to help you improve your blocks.<<elseif $workout is 2>>With some mental gymnastics Alex manages to convince you that practicing your old patterns will help your defence. You're a bit rusty at first, but eventually you fall into the rhythm, and you can admit that $ahe was right. The sequences helo you work on your flow and improve your blocking technique.<<else>>Alex decides to forgo the actual blocks for your training today for dodging. $Ahe forces you to do a variety of exercises designed to improve your agility so you can defend more effectively. Moving unpredictably makes you harder to hit, and by the end of the session you can admit you feel more confident in your abilities.<</if>> ''[[Training's over.|timespendday]]''

<<if $timespend is 0>>You've got a lot of time on your hands. What will you do?<<elseif $timespend is 1>> You still have quite a bit of time left. What will you do?<<elseif $timespend is 2>>You've only got a little bit of time left. What will you do?<<else>>You've ran out of time.<</if>> <hr \><<if $optiona is false>>''[[Train for a while.|training]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">Train for a while.</span><</if>> <<if $optionb is true>>''[[Go find some people to talk to.|peopletalk]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">Go find some people to talk to.</span><</if>> <<if $optionc is false>>''[[Improve your media presence.|mediapresence]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">Improve your media presence.</span><</if>> ''[[Spend the rest of your time resting.|resting]]'' <<if ($gamechapter is "chapter one")>>''[[Time for the press interview.|pressinterview]]''<</if>>

A quick glance at the clock hanging on the back wall tells you there's only about five minutes left of torture. Just one more question, and you should be free to wallow in your own misery for a while. You purse your lips, silently hoping the reporter you gesture at won't ask the worst question in the world. Yeah, you should've known you wouldn't get that lucky. The reporter almost vibrates with excitement at your motion. Menacingly, the smile on their lips is one of evident malice, not one of kindness or care. That idea is confirmed when they open their mouth to speak. "$Mx, what is your relationship with your coach Alex Chrimele? Are you two just friends, or is there something more?" You catch Alex stiffening in the background, as though they had been bitten by some snake. The buzz of the room grows louder. A clamour of reporters all whispering different things, the ferocious scribbling of pens on paper more pronounced than ever. What a fucking question to have as your last. How do you even begin to respond to that?'' <hr \>''[[Hesitate. ❣|alexqrom2][$convooption to 1]] [[Answer as is expected of you.|alexqrom2][$convooption to 2; $afdcheck to "truth"]]''

A quick glance at the clock hanging on the back wall tells you there's only about five minutes left of torture. Just one more question, and you should be free to wallow in your own misery for a while. You purse your lips, silently hoping the reporter you gesture at won't ask the worst question in the world. Yeah, you should've known you wouldn't get that lucky. The reporter almost vibrates with excitement at your motion. Evidently, the smile on their lips is one of malice, not one of kindness or care. That idea is confirmed when they open their mouth to speak. "$Mx, what do you think of your coach? Is $ahe any good, despite $ahis own failings as an athlete?" You catch Alex stiffening in the background, as though $ahe had been bitten by some snake. The buzz of the room grows louder. A clamour of reporters all whispering different things, the ferocious scribbling of pens on paper more pronounced than ever. What a fucking question to have as your last. How do you even begin to respond to that? <hr \>''[[You don't care how it may be taken. You're defending Alex.|alexq2][$convooption to 1]] [[Answer as is expected of you, even if you can't defend Alex.|alexq2][$convooption to 2]]''

<<if $convooption is 2>><<if $alexfeelings is "crush">>Well, maybe you wish you were something more so bad it hurts. But that's not the truth, and you can't harm Alex like that by lying just for your weird benefit. You have to keep in character.<<elseif ($alexromance is 2)>>It feels as though a part of you wants that statement to be true, and you squelch it down. It's just a natural byproduct of your confusion at the question. No point in overthinking it too much. <<else>>It's a weird question to ask, and it's clearly just meant to provoke you. No way are you falling for it.<</if>> <<if $persona is "authentic">>"No, we're just friends," you reply, keeping your tone as relaxed as possible. "Although I don't think that's an appropriate question to ask."<<elseif $persona is "aloof">>"$Ahe's my coach." you reply sternly, raising an eyebrow. "This interview should be for questions to my career, not my personal life. Keep it appropriate, thank you."<<elseif $persona is "funny">>"He's just my friend, if that's what you're asking," you respond lightheartedly. You throw in a cheesy wink as you say the next part. "Still single if anyone's interested!"<<elseif $persona is "outgoing">>"Just friends!" you respond enthusiastically, flashing a grin. "But I'm lucky to have $ahim."<<elseif $persona is "humble">>"We're only friends," you explain calmly. "$Ahe's a great coach, I'd be lost without $ahim."<<else>>"Inappropriate question." You spit out, glaring at the reporter. "$Ahe's just my coach. Keep the questions appropriate, not this rubbish."<</if>> The reporter opens their mouth to speak, but luckily for you the bell rings, signifying the end of the session. Your nerves are still buzzing, so most of what the assistant says goes in one ear and right out the other. An unspoken question hangs over your head: how did you do? The next few minutes are just a blur of similar scenes - the reporters leaving, being escorted out, walking the now familiar path to your room. You only really regain consciousness when the door to your room swings open, and you're finally alone. Finally, after what feels like years, you take a deep breath. ''[[Now, the feedback.|leafeedback]]'' <<else>><<set $alexromance to $alexromance + 1>><<set $alexfakedate to true>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp + 4>>You know you should respond with a negative. Logic tells you to just stay honest, to not stray from the truth. Even still, you can't move your jaw to form the words. //We're just friends.// Not even that, really. //We're just colleagues.// It's as though your brain refuses to accept the words. They feel foreign, incorrect, weigh heavy in your throat as you try and force them out.<<if $alexfeelings is "crush">>You're used to these feelings when it comes to Alex. Although, you're typically better at hiding your true feelings than now. Is it the crowd? The fact that $ahe's watching? You're not sure, but you wish you could force yourself to reply. Any words would be better than this. <<else>>There's no reason you should be feeling like this, and the fact you can't even respond causes your head to swim with confusion. Now wasn't the time to bewilder yourself, yet here you were. Struggling to even speak. Burdened with new feelings for a person you've only ever seen platonically.<</if>> Too many eyes are on you. The pressure to respond, to say anything is a weight you can't bear anymore. And is it your fault, really, if the small twitch of your head is taken as a yes? You're barely aware of the next few minutes, apart from a few key moments. The explosion of scribbling and pen on paper. Alex turning to leave the room. Ringing of a bell. Walking, as stiff as a zombie, back to your hotel room. Collapsing into the furthest chair from the door. ''[[What have you gotten yourself into?|leafeedbackafd]]'' <</if>>

<<if ($publicrp < 48)>>As soon as you entered your room, you collapsed into the nearest chair. Press conferences had no right to be that exhausting. Alex is also there, looking just as tired despite the fact $ahe only really stood there. You don’t think the conference went that badly. You stuck to what was expected, and kept your calm. But deep down, there's a nagging sensation that even though you did what you could, the people just won't like //you//. A sharp knock sounds on the door, and your coach moves to open it for you. Before $ahe can even fully open the door, Lea barges in and moves to sit on your bed. She starts speaking before you can address her. "You did well, $name." she begins, before letting out a long suffering sigh. "Don't know how much they'll all like you though." The words cause you to wince slightly, and Lea's expression softens. Instead of her voice, though, you hear Alex's. "Don't beat yourself up about it. They'll dislike people for the smallest reasons. Just keep doing you, and you should be fine." $ahe says, looking back out of the window. Lea hums vaguely in agreement.<<elseif ($personastrength > 8)>>As soon as you entered your room, you collapsed into the nearest chair. Press conferences had no right to be that exhausting. Alex is also there, looking just as tired despite the fact $ahe only really stood there. You don’t think the conference went that badly. You stuck to what was expected, and kept your calm. But you can never be sure when it comes to the media. A sharp knock sounds on the door, and your coach moves to open it for you. Before $ahe can even fully open the door, Lea barges in and moves to sit on your bed. She starts speaking before you can even begin to address her. “You did well, $name. Some tough questions, but overall you kept your cool.” She offers a tired smile, spinning her ring. “Don’t think there’s anything they can twist too badly, although they always have the worst surprises.” Alex makes a noise of agreement, moving to stand next to Lea. You didn’t expect $ahim to join in. “She’s right. You did what you could, now the ball is in their court. Let’s just hope they decided to play nice today.” With that, $ahe walks back to where $ahe was standing before, fiddling with something on $ahis phone.<<else>>As soon as you entered your room, you collapsed into the closest chair. Press conferences were exhausting, and on top of that, you were almost certain you had fucked it up. You curse as you run through your answers in your mind. In your defence, they most definitely didn’t go easy on you. Alex seems to sense the stress radiating off you, and $ahe offers you a weak smile. $Ahe then opens $ahis mouth to speak, but is immediately interrupted by a sharp knock sound on the door.The moment is broken, and your coach moves to open it for you. Lea barrels in before $ahe can even fully open the door, immediately going to stand in front of you. You wince in advance, preparing for the lecture you’re about to receive. Despite your mental preparation, her voice is still as harsh as a cracking whip. “I can’t sugarcoat this, and trust me, I tried. You messed up. I don’t know why you were so off your game, but you need to work on it. This won’t cut it.” You lower your head, and you can sense Lea soften slightly. Instead of her voice, though, you hear your coach's. “It’s hard, $name. You don’t need to be perfect. You just be careful. They won’t be kind, and you need to be prepared.” The rawness in $ahis voice surprises you, and $ahis gaze is just as open when you meet it. The vulnerability is gone as soon as it comes.<</if>> Lea stands to leave, before seemingly remembering something. <<if $afdcheck is "truth">>Her dart glances over at Alex, before assessing you with a weirdly intense look. "Ignore the question about you and Alex's... //apparent// romantic relationship. Don't know where they got that idea from." <<if $alexfeelings is "crush">>You try to feign confusion, despite feeling the telltale way your cheeks burn. "Yeah. Wild." Lea arches a sardonic brow at you. Trust her to see right through any attempt at pretence. What does surprise you, though, is the soft tone with which she speaks. "Look, $name, it's none of my business who you want to <<if $asexual is true>>romance<<else>>fuck<</if>>. Even if it happens to be your coach," she says. Whether she forgot or is purposefully ignoring the fact said coach is in the exact same room is anyone's guess. Judging by the way she continues in her slightly too loud tone, it's the former. "Just promise me you'll be careful. Don't think I can handle another break up of yours."<<else>>You roll your lips, thinking of the strange cocktail of emotions Alex has started bringing up in you lately. "Mm. Don't know either." Something in your tone must have given you away, judging by the way her eyes narrow slightly. "You sure?" You only nod, not trusting your voice to not give you away again. A flawless plan, apart from the fact Lea can practically read you like a book. "Look, $name, I can't tell you how you feel about $ahim," she begins, jabbing a thumb in Alex's direction. She ignores your attempts at hiding the gesture. "But, I can give you some advice. Get it sorted out sooner rather than later. If you leave it to fester, it'll just distract you. And God knows we can't afford any more distractions right now."<</if>> Alex looks over curiously, the noise having finally caught $ahis attention. Thoroughly aware of $ahis gaze on you, you focus on scowling at Lea. She only shakes her head in response, heading back towards the door. "She's quite something, hm?" Alex says. $Ahis tone is more soft than anything. "I'll take my leave as well. Rest up, $name. The next few weeks will be busy." Half of you wants to object, but the more logical side knows it's best if you just let $ahim go. $Ahe sends you a mock salute before $ahe fully exits. After you return the gesture $ahe departs, swinging the door shut behind $ahim. Leaving you by yourself once again. ''[[Huh.|thenextdays]]''<<elseif $alexdefend is false>>Her glance darts over to Alex, and she leans in. “Probably want to have a word with Alex, though. Just to clarify your intentions. be careful, $name. Don't sacrifice your personal relationships just for fame.” You curse internally. That moment in the conference felt so long ago: it had slipped your mind entirely. Lea claps you on your shoulder, standing to go. “See you tomorrow, both of you,” she calls out, swinging open the door and leaving. As soon as the door closes, your coach looks towards you apologetically. “She’s, for lack of a better word, shit at whispering.” Ah. This is probably the part where you apologise for not defending $ahim earlier. <hr \>''[[Apologise sincerely.|alexapology][$convooption to 1]] [[Give a half hearted one.|alexapology][$convooption to 2]] [[Don't apologise.|alexapology][$convooption to 3]]''<<else>>Her glance darts over to Alex, and she leans in conspiratorially. “Good on you for defending $ahim earlier. Sometimes morals need to come over your public image. It’s an unstable bridge, though. Make sure it doesn’t collapse.” With that ominous message, she leaves the room. As soon as the door closes, your coach looks at you, rubbing the back of $ahis neck. “She’s, for lack of a better word, shit at whispering. Thank you for defending me, though. It does mean a lot.” $Ahe gives you a smile so bright it could rival the sun. "Rest up. The next weeks will be busy." $Ahe sends you a mock salute before $ahe makes $ahis exit exits. After you return the gesture $ahe finally departs, swinging the door shut behind $ahim. Leaving you by yourself once again. ''[[next|thenextdays]]''<</if>>

<<if $convooption is 1>><<set $alex to $alex + 4>><<if $persona is "authentic">>You're lucky that honesty has always been your thing, so you don't have any expectations to live up to. The media may not like how plain your answer is, but it's the truth. That's what matters most. You're not about to sacrifice $ahim just for the media's meaningless approval. "I'm lucky to have Alex as a coach. $Ahe is the best one any athlete could ask for." you respond calmly, inclining your head slightly. "I wouldn't have stuck with $ahim for so long is $ahe wasn't anything short of amazing."<<elseif $persona is "aloof">><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>>You grit your teeth, knowing that defending Alex would compromise your supposedly aloof image. But some things are more important than keeping up a character. Alex had been your coach for five years - you couldn't just let $ahis name be slandered so casually. "Alex is a great coach," you say, trying to keep the emotion out of your voice. "It's inappropriate to assume otherwise." There was still some professionalism in your words, although your defence of $ahim does go against what the media expect. Far too personal of an insight. That part is evident in the way the scribbling sound intensifies tenfold.<<elseif $persona is "funny">><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>>Comedy can't solve everything, sadly. Defending Alex comes at the cost of losing a great opportunity to make a joke, and honestly you doubt that they'd even take you seriously. "Alex is an amazing coach," you respond lightly. "Don't know why I'd keep $ahim around if $ahe wasn't." At your words, a few uneasy chuckles echo around the room. It's clear they can't tell if you're still messing around or being genuine, evident in the intensifying scribbling noises.<<elseif $persona is "outgoing">><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>>You work your jaw. Some things matter more than keeping up a character, and defending Alex is one of them. Whether they would take your defence seriously or dismiss it as another one of your optimistic statements was another matter entirely. "Alex is great," you respond brightly. "I'm super lucky to have them!" Your jovial tone feels stilted in the tense room, and it's clear some don't believe your words. Do they ever? You fight back the urge to sigh, knowing an article was bound to appear about this sometime soon.<<elseif $persona is "humble">><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>>Luckily, staying humble and sweet was expected of you. How better to show how down to earth you are than defending your long term coach? Unknowingly, this reporter had handed you a perfect opportunity on a silver platter. "No athlete is anything without their coach, and I'm the same," you respond calmly, a small smile playing on your lips. "I wouldn't be here without Alex - that should tell you how amazing they are as a coach." You think you can make out someone rolling their eyes at the very front, but it doesn't matter. You've done your job.<<else>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>>Being rude doesn't often have their perks, but it does mean you can shut down questions like these easily. At least people expect your shutdowns by now. "Alex is a wonderful coach," you respond heatedly, glaring at the reporter. "Don't waste my time with rubbish questions like that." Said reporter cowers slightly at your words, and you have to fight back the giggle that threatens to burst from your mouth. That should teach them.<</if>><<elseif $convooption is 2>><<set $alexdefend to false>><<set $alex to $alex + 4>>You're lucky that honesty has always been your thing, so you don't have any expectations to live up to. The media may not like how plain your answer is, but it's the truth. That's what matters most. "I'm lucky to have Alex as a coach. $Ahe is the best one any athlete could ask for." you respond calmly, inclining your head slightly. "I wouldn't have stuck with $ahim for so long if $ahe wasn't anything but amazing."<<elseif $persona is "aloof">><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><<set $alex to $alex - 4>>Professionalism was key here. Maybe you'd prefer to defend Alex, but you can't sacrifice your oh so carefully constructed reputation just for this. At least you could lessen the damage slightly. "Inappropriate question," you respond coolly. "$Ahe's my coach for a reason."Out of the corner of your vision, you catch Alex cross their arms. $Ahe probably wishes you'd defended $ahim rather than deflecting, but $ahe'll ultimately come around. You think.<<elseif $persona is "funny">><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><<set $alex to $alex - 4>>The problem with being a court jester? Nobody expects you to ever be serious. Meaning, if you tried to defend Alex now, your words would be taken as a joke and you'd probably end up doing even more harm. You have to keep this lighthearted. Have to keep expectations. You mock pout, as though you were a toddler. "Can't my final question even be about me?" Your words cause a few giggles across the room, the tone significantly more jovial. Out of the corner of your vision, you catch Alex cross $ahis arms. Never a good sign. $Ahe probably wishes you'd defended $ahim, but they'll understand why you did what you did. You think.<<elseif $persona is "outgoing">><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><<set $alex to $alex - 4>>Having a persona akin to that of a childs entertainers had a few downsides. One of them being that you couldn't exactly respond to questions like these without damaging how the public percieve you. That perception, for today at least, comes first. Sorry, Alex. You'll make it up to $ahim later. Maybe. "We should end on a light note," you respond, flashing a bright smile to the camera. "Not with such a serious question." Your words cause a few giggles across the room, as well as eliciting an eye roll from one reporter in the front row. Out of the corner of your vision, you catch Alex crossing $ahis arms. Never a good sign coming form $ahim. $Ahe probably wishes you'd defended $ahim, but $ahe'll understand why you did what you did. You hope, anyway.<<elseif $persona is "humble">><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><<set $alex to $alex + 4>>Luckily, staying humble and sweet was expected of you. How better to show how down to earth you are than defending your long term coach? Unknowingly, this reporter had handed you a perfect opportunity on a silver platter. And they thought they were being clever with their question. "No athlete is anything without their coach, and I'm the same," you respond calmly, a small smile playing on your lips. "I wouldn't be here without Alex - that should tell you how amazing they are as a coach." You think you can make out someone rolling their eyes at the very front, but it doesn't matter. You've done your job.<<else>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><<set $alex to $alex - 4>>Arrogance was probably the best route to go here, even if it means you can't exactly defend Alex. You've been working on your reputation for years - you can't start giving up on it now. You'd make it up to $ahim later. Maybe. "Come on, not even a question about me to finish with?" you say, exaggerated disapproval dripping from your voice. "I'm a thousand times more interesting." Your words cause a few to titter and shake their heads as they write. Out of the corner of your vision, you catch Alex cross $ahis arms. $Ahe probably wishes you'd defended $ahim, but they'll understand why you did what you did. You think.<</if>> The reporter opens their mouth to speak, but luckily for you the bell rings, signifying the end of the session. Your nerves are still buzzing, so most of what the assistant says goes in one ear and right out the other. An unspoken question hangs over your head: how did you do? The next few minutes are just a blur of specific scenes - the reporters leaving, being escorted out, walking the now familiar path to your room. You only really regain consciousness when the door to your room swings open, and you're finally alone. Finally, after what feels like years, you take a deep breath. You could do no more but sit and wait. ''[[Time for the feedback|leafeedback]]''

<<if $persona is "authentic">>You nod vaguely in the direction of a friendly looking reporter, and they luckily take the hint. Pen and paper poised, they begin to speak. "$Mx, I just have to wonder, <<if ($person is "man")>>where do you see yourself going next with your career?" <hr \>''[[Give an arrogant answer.|q2][$convooption to 1]] [[Answer nicely.|q2][$convooption to 2]] [[Choose not to give a response.|q2][$convooption to 3]] [[Give a formal answer.|q2][$convooption to 4]]''<<else>>do you think it's time for you to settle down, possibly?" <hr \>''[[Deflect and keep the mood light.|q2][$convooption to 5]] [[Shut them down.|q2][$convooption to 6]] [[Continue on without an answer.|q2][$convooption to 7]] [[Give a formal answer.|q2][$convooption to 8]]''<</if>> <<elseif $persona is "rude">>You nod vaguely in the direction of a friendly looking reporter, and they luckily take the hint. Pen and paper poised, they begin to speak. "$Mx, I just have to wonder, what do you have to say about the various scandals you have over your attitude?" <hr \>''[[Deflect.|q2][$convooption to 9; $persona to "rude"]] [[Answer harshly.|q2][$convooption to 10; $persona to "rude"]] [[Continue on without an answer.|q2][$convooption to 11; $persona to "rude"]] [[Give a formal answer.|q2][$convooption to 12; $persona to "rude"]]'' <<elseif $persona is "aloof">>You nod vaguely in the direction of a friendly looking reporter, and they luckily take the hint. Pen and paper poised, they begin to speak. "$Mx, I just have to wonder, why are you always so cold? Is there any particular reason?" <hr \>''[[Give a vague answer.|q2][$convooption to 13]] [[That's pretty rude. You aren't taking it lying down.|q2][$convooption to 14]] [[Keep professional.|q2][$convooption to 15]] [[Don't answer.|q2][$convooption to 16]]'' <<elseif $persona is "funny">>You nod vaguely in the direction of a friendly looking reporter, and they luckily take the hint. Pen and paper poised, they begin to speak. "$Mx, I just have to wonder, are you taking this opportunity seriously? I mean, everything seems to just be a joke to you." <hr \>''[[Keep the tone light.|q2][$convooption to 17]] [[Glare at them. That's a rubbish question.|q2][$convooption to 18]] [[Continue on without an answer|q2][$convooption to 19]] [[Answer honestly.|q2][$convooption to 20]]'' <<elseif $persona is "humble">>You nod vaguely in the direction of a friendly looking reporter, and they luckily take the hint. Pen and paper poised, they begin to speak. "$Mx, I just have to wonder, how do you stay so nice? Especially with everything." Everything being your mothers scandals. That part doesn't need to be said - it hangs over you every day, a storm cloud about to pour. <hr \>''[[Keep the tone light, and deflect.|q2][$convooption to 21]] [[Continue on without an answer|q2][$convooption to 22]] [[Act defensive.|q2][$convooption to 23]] [[Answer honestly.|q2][$convooption to 24]]'' <<else>>You nod vaguely in the direction of a friendly looking reporter, and they luckily take the hint. Pen and paper poised, they begin to speak. "$Mx, I just have to wonder, are you taking this opportunity seriously? I mean, you're not the most... mature." <hr \>''[[Glare at them. You've answered this question hundreds of times.|q2][$convooption to 26]] [[Keep the tone cheerful.|q2][$convooption to 25]] [[Continue on without an answer|q2][$convooption to 27]] [[Answer honestly.|q2][$convooption to 28]]''<</if>>

<<if ($convooption is 1)>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp - 2>>It's not a bad question, albeit slightly weak. Compared to the alternatives you'd take it every single day. And, you're at the Olympics: shoot for the stars and all, no? "Winning the Olympics, ideally," you respond, smirking. "Then everything else. Again." You think you can make out a few scoffs from the reporters in the audience. Lea's probably one of them as well - she's never been a fan of arrogance in any form. <<if ($humble > $arrogant)>>She also probably didn't expect a response like that from you.<<else>>She should be used to it by this point, though. You've always been like this.<</if>><<elseif ($convooption is 2)>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp + 1>>It's a pretty decent question. By all means, you could have gotten far worse. You'd also rather not start off with a poor impression by seeming like you're bragging or being vain: it'd be all they'd focus on in the newspapers. "Well, trying my best here, firstly," you begin, smiling softly. "Then I'll just do what seems fit. If that's competing more, then so be it." It's an answer fit for a diplomat, and that's the best way to keep it. <<if ($arrogant > $humble)>>Even if you'd rather brag about how you're going to win this whole thing.<<else>>Bragging isn't something you've ever been good at anyway.<</if>><<elseif ($convooption is 3)>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp - 1>><<set $questionignore to $questionignore + 1>>The question seems harmless enough, but you've been in this business long enough to know that nothing is as it seems. Too vague, and there'll be rumours about your retirement circulating. Too specific, and you'll get accused of not being focused on the present. There's no winning. "Next question," you say, signifying your disinterest in responding properly. Despite this, the room is still filled with the sounds of writing. All from two measly words. <<elseif ($convooption is 4)>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp - 1>>The question is innocent enough, but you know better than to let your guard down that quickly. Doing so would only leave you vulnerable to even worse questions. It's best to just maintain some vague degree of formality, <<if ($professional > $casual)>>as you always do.<<else>>even if you aren't particularly used to it.<</if>> "I'll be focusing on this competition first," you begin, posture uptight. "Then I'll be seeing what comes next." Even though your words are objectively dull, they still set off a flurrying of scribbling into the crowd. These people could find substance from silence - even more reason why you should watch what you say.<<elseif ($convooption is 5)>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp + 2>>It's a question you definitely wouldn't get if you were a man. But being mad about it would only add fuel to the fire - you can already imagine the word bitch emblazoned in bold across a cover. Really, the only thing you can do is try to dodge it. <<if ($serious > $humorous)>>Even though jokes have never been your forte.<</if>> "Already married and settled with my work, I'm afraid," you say, forcing a tight smile. "Any other questions?" The quicker you could move on from this, the better. No point in sticking around and allowing the mood to sour further.<<elseif ($convooption is 6)>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp + 4>>It's a shitty question, and the worst part is you know you wouldn't have got it if you were a cisgender male. Despite everything, all you've done, people find it more interesting to talk about when you'd stop fighting. It's nothing short of sickening. "Inappropriate question," you growl out, resisting the urge to throttle the man. "Ask me something to do with the sport I've been fighting for years, not when I'll stop it." Unsurprisingly, all the reporters in the room find something to write down in that. Whether you'd be called a bitch for it or praised, however, would be another matter. One for later.<<elseif ($convooption is 7)>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp - 1>><<set $questionignore to $questionignore + 1>>The question is a rubbish one, with the blatant sexism clear in the words. There's no way you would've gotten the question if you were a cisgender man. Sports, for all the way it has come, still has a marathon and a half to go in terms of this. Still, saying this would only cause you to come under fire for beign ungrateful. Best to just not respond and move on. "Next question," you say, signifying your disinterest in answering properly. Despite this, the room is still filled with the sounds of writing. All from two measly words. <<elseif ($convooption is 8)>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp +1>>The question is a rubbish one, with the blatant sexism clear in the words. There's no way you would've gotten the question if you were a cisgender man. Sports, for all the way it has come, still has a marathon and a half to go in terms of this. <<if ($professional > $casual)>>Still, you manage to answer with the formal air you're known for.<<else>>Even though you want nothing more than to show your anger, you manage to maintain some decorum.<</if>> "This isn't an appropriate question. Please, let's focus on the sport."<<elseif $convooption is 13>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp - 2>>It's a pretty loaded question, with a lot more depth than it appears. Really, he's asking if your personality is genuine, if you're always this professional. <<if ($professional > $casual)>>For the most part, you are.<<else>>It would be exhausting if you were actually that formal all the time.<</if>> You aren't about to give him anything to work with though. "Depends on who you ask," you answer dismissively, already looking for another hand up.<<elseif ($convooption is 14)>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp + 2>>It's a far more loaded question than what it first seems like. An attempt at asking if your character is completely manufactured, or a facade. Really, you shouldn't take the bait, but you aren't about to set a precedent for allowing such probing questions. "Just because I'm professional doesn't mean I'm cold," you respond, arching a brow. "There's a difference. Learn it. And I don't need to explain my personality to you." The crowd bustles with activity, a flurry of pens and writing. Whether their words were favourable or insulting, you'd find out soon enough.<<elseif ($convooption is 15)>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp + 2>>The question is far more loaded than it seems, with pretty harsh implications. <<if ($professional > $casual)>>But it's in your nature to respond professionally, and luckily, that's also what they expect.<<else>>You'd love nothing more than to shut him down, but that wouldn't be seen as very professional of you.<</if>> "I'd say I'm formal rather than cold, honestly," You reply, nodding your head slightly. "There's no reason, I'm afraid. It is just how I am." Your answers cause a wave of murmurs, and you can't tell whether they're bored or impressed at your formality. It's a thin line to walk.<<elseif ($convooption is 16)>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp - 1>><<set $questionignore to $questionignore + 1>>It's a very loaded question, and you fear that answering it may cause more trouble than it's worth. "Next question," you say, signifying your disinterest in responding properly. Despite this, the room is still filled with the sounds of writing. All from two measly words.<<elseif ($convooption is 17)>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp + 2>>By doing this, you're probably just proving their point. There truly is no winning when it comes to the media. But at least you can vaguely maintain your reputation as a comical figure, something that you've learnt is increasingly important. "Of course I do," you quip back, attempting to keep a jovial tone. "And I'll hopefully get it, as long as nobody MEDALs." You hear Alex laugh from the back of the room, although the sound is quickly stifled when $ahe realises nobody else was joining in. At least there's one person with a good sense of humour here.<<else>><</if>><<if $convooption is 18>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp - 2>>Just because you don't present yourself as a serious, boring athlete doesn't mean you don't care. It's a question that has plagued you for basically your entire career, and you're sick and tired of giving the same response every interview. In lieu of words, you just shoot a glare at the reporter. The other reporters continue writing, ignoring the growing tension in the room. Probably time for another question.<<elseif $convooption is 19>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp - 2>><<set $questionignore to $questionignore + 1>>This is a question you've heard a million times from a million different people. No matter what answer you give, they'll just ignore it in favour of pretending you're only a court jester. "Next question," you say, signifying your disinterest in responding properly. Despite this, the room is still filled with the sounds of writing. All from two measly words.<<elseif ($convooption is 20)>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp + 1>><<set $personastrength - 1>>As honestly as you can, anyway. "Of course I do," you respond, eyes fixed on the questioner. "I've been training for this my whole life." At your words, the air in the room turns slightly more serious. It's eviden in the way the reporters look around that they didn't expect a genuine answer out of you. There's always time to subvert expectations, you guess. Keeps you interesting at the very least. Although, you should probably get another question before they can find a way to twist your words.<<elseif $convooption is 21>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp + 2>>The question's heavy, the hidden implication that how kind you are may be nothing but an illusion. <<if ($kind > $rude)>>And so what if it is? It's none of their business, quite frankly.<<else>>You suppose you can see why they may think that, although you've never had to force it. It just seemed natural to you.<</if>> However, acting hurt or attacked may worsen it. Best to just avoid the whole topic entirely. "Well, I was always told that you'll never regret being kind," you answer lightly. <<if ($motherfeelings is "hate") or ($motherfeelings is "dislike")>>That part's true, though you can't remember who told you.<<else>>That part's true - your mum used to tell you it every day, before you left for school.<</if>><<elseif $convooption is 22>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp - 1>><<set $questionignore to $questionignore + 1>>It's a tricky question, and you'd rather not risking answering wrong. One misstep and you'd be splashed on the front of every tabloid cover. You can almost see the headlines already: star athlete admits their FAKE character! Better to not take that chance. "Next question," you demure, scanning the crowd for another hand up.<<elseif $convooption is 23>><<set $personastrength - 1>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp - 1>>Something about the question makes your skin crawl. <<if ($rude > $kind)>>Maybe it's the hidden implication behind it. The idea that, somehow, they've peeled back your exterior mask and revealed the truth. A truth that contradicts everything you've built for yourself: the rotten core of an otherwise perfectly good apple.<<else>>Maybe it's the implication you aren't that nice. That it's unbelievable, despite everything, you could still be nice. As though being mean was some contagious illness you've caught and are hiding.<</if>> "It's just how I am," you answer, shifting in your chair slightly. "Can't really say more than that. That's all there is to it." There's a cacophany of scribbles, and whether their words are positive or negative is something you can't tell. That much you're glad for. Knowing what they were writing would make you feel sick with the burden of knowledge.<<elseif ($convooption is 24)>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp + 2>><<set $personastrength + 1>>It's a heavy question, and most people wouldn't be surprised if you acted more defensive about it. <<if ($kind > $rude)>>But you see no need. This is how you are - might as well tell the truth.<<else>>Sure, maybe you'll have to twist the truth a bit. Your version of honesty may differ slightly from theirs.<</if>> "Well, I just remember all the sweet things fans and other competitors have said about me," you respond, offering a warm smile that reaches your eyes. "The niceness comes easily after that." It's an expectedly heartwarming response, one you expect parents will be showing their kids. You can almost hear Lea's stifled laughter: she's always found how almost stereotypical you are amusing. <<elseif $convooption is 25>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp + 2>>By doing this, you're probably just proving their point. There truly is no winning when it comes to the media. But at least you can vaguely maintain your reputation as a cheery figure, something that you've learnt is increasingly important. "Of course I am," you quip back, attempting to keep a cheery tone. "Get to show the world what I can do and meet so many good people! I'm grabbing this chance with both hands." You can practically hear the sound of Lea rolling her eyes. She always thought this persona of yours was a stupid idea for someone who beats people up for a living. But contradiction keeps people interested.<<elseif $convooption is 26>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp - 2>>Just because you present yourself as a cheerful, possibly overexcited athlete doesn't mean you don't care. It's a question that has plagued you for basically your entire career, and you're sick and tired of giving the same response every interview. In lieu of words, you just shoot a glare at the reporter. <<if ($rude > $kind)>>They shrivel slightly under your eye, probably not expecting you to take it so seriously.<<else>>You aren't intimidating enough, so they just quirk a questioning brow at you.<</if>> The other reporters continue writing, ignoring the growing tension in the room. Probably time for another question.<<elseif $convooption is 27>><<set $questionignore to $questionignore + 1>>This is a question you've heard a million times from a million different people. No matter what answer you give, they'll just ignore it in favour of continuing to treat you like an oversized child. Maybe you brought it on yourself, but doesn't mean you like it. "Next question," you say, signifying your disinterest in responding properly. Despite this, the room is still filled with the sounds of writing. All from two measly words.<<elseif ($convooption is 28)>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp + 2>>As honestly as you can, anyway. "Of course I do," you repsond, eyes fixed on the questioner. "I've been training for this my whole life." At your words, the air in the room turns slightly more serious. It's evident in the way the reporters look around that they didn't expect a proper answer out of you. There's always time to subvert expectations, you guess. Keeps you interesting at the very least. Although, you should probably get another question before they can find a way to twist your words.<<elseif $convooption is 9>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp - 2>>You were aware of the various controversies you had gotten in due to your supposed bad attitude. <<if ($kind > $rude)>>It's hard to force yourself to act so mean sometimes, but you did what you had to.<<else>>It's just your nature- not your fault some people took it badly.<</if>> "Everyone gets into scandals," you say dismissively, leaving no room for argument. Even if they wanted to probe more, you had the right to not answer.<<elseif $convooption is 10>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp - 3>>It was impossible to not be aware of the various scandal your poor attitude had gotten you into. <<if ($kind > $rude)>>Even if it's against your nature, you have to respond like the dickhead they think you are.<<else>>Luckily for you, you can be as mean as you want when repsonding. Maybe even get into another scandal<</if>> "Please," you scoff, making direct eye contact with the camera. "This is who I am. If being honest gets me into scandals, so be it." The room buzzes with the sound of writing at your words, and you catch one reporter shaking their head. What did they expect, though?<<elseif $convooption is 11>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp + 1>><<set $questionignore to $questionignore - 1>>There was no way you couldn't be aware of the scandals surrounding you and your attitude. <<if ($kind > $rude)>>You're afraid that if you speak you won't be able to maintain your mean front, so instead you decide to dodge the question.<<else>> Sure, maybe you're actually like that when the cameras aren't rolling. But you can't be bothered to explain that.<</if>> "Next question," you dismiss, looking around for another reporter to pick.<<elseif ($convooption is 12)>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp + 2>>Of course you knew about the scandals surrounding you and your poor attitude. <<if ($kind > $rude)>>It was weird to read, considering anyone who knew you personally wouldn't be able to assosciate you with the word rude.<<else>>That's just how you are, and it's hard to change that.<</if>> You didn't feel like getting into another controversy, though, so you deign to answer more formally. "It's just who I am." you say calmly, looking at the camera. "Some people are upset by that. That's just how things go." It's a far more measured response than you typically give, and the surprise of it causes a hush to fall over the room. All you can hear for a few seconds is the scribbling of pen on paper. You decide now would be a good time to get another question. <<else>><</if>><<if $persona is "authentic">> A woman in the second row catches your eye, and you think her name is Maria. You had seen her in some other interviews you'd done back in England. A worker for ITV, maybe? You smile and gesture at her. "You're clearly the most decorated athlete present here in comparison to the others. How do you feel about that, being better than your peers?" It's an obviously provocative question, one designed to try and get you to say anything that could be twisted out of context. <<if ($arrogant > $humble)>>You'd never been what people call down to earth - saying what you actually think here may put your career six foot under.<<else>>You've never been one to brag, anyway, but they'd still find a way to make what you were saying seem patronising rather than nice. They always do.<</if>> <hr \>''[[Ignore the implications and answer.|q3][$convooption to 1]] [[Don't respond.|q3][$convooption to 2]] [[Play along.|q3][$convooption to 3]] [[Make a snarky remark back.|q3][$convooption to 4]]''<<elseif $persona is "aloof">> A woman in the second row catches your eye, and you think her name is Maria. You had seen her in some other interviews you'd done back in England. A worker for ITV, maybe? You smile and gesture at her. "What do you do to relax? Unwind, maybe, when you get home. We don't know much about your home life." The question seems innocuous enough, but it has depth to it. It's an attempt to learn more about you, crack the reserved shell you retire into every time you respond to a press question. <<if ($reserved > $outgoing)>>You never knew it was a crime to not want to share everything about yourself with others.<<else>>Yeah, maybe you're more talkative behind the scenes. But they don't need to know that.<</if>> <hr \>''[[Answer honestly.|q3][$convooption to 7]] [[Don't respond.|q3][$convooption to 6]] [[Give an appropriately serious response.|q3][$convooption to 5]] [[Make a snarky remark back.|q3][$convooption to 8]]''<<elseif $persona is "funny">> A woman in the second row catches your eye, and you think her name is Maria. You had seen her in some other interviews you'd done back in England. A worker for ITV, maybe? You smile and gesture at her. "How do you keep such a fun attitude? I mean, it must be hard, especially with what you've been through?" It's a question that has layers, far less innocent than it seems. What she's really asking is, are you actually like this? Or is this all an act? <<if ($funny > $serious)>>For the most part, it's real enough for you.<<else>>The latter is more true for you. In reality, you have the humour of a brick wall. She doesn't need to know that though.<</if>> <hr \>''[[Make a joke.|q3][$convooption to 9]] [[Don't respond|q3][$convooption to 10]] [[Give a more snarky response.|q3][$convooption to 11]] [[Insist it's all natural.|q3][$convooption to 12]]''<<elseif $persona is "humble">> A woman in the second row catches your eye, and you think her name is Maria. You had seen her in some other interviews you'd done back in England. A worker for ITV, maybe? You smile and gesture at her. "You're clearly the most decorated athlete present here in comparison to the others. How do you feel about that, being better than your peers?" It's a question that has layers, far less innocent than it seems. What she's really trying to do is get you to step out of character. To act more vain, anything other than the polite humbleness assosciated with you. <<if ($arrogant > $humble)>>It makes you feel physically nauseous sometimes, trying to act as though you don't care about what you've done.<<else>> Not your fault that it's mostly authentic - showing off never sat right with you.<</if>> <hr \>''[[Ignore the implications and answer.|q3][$convooption to 13]] [[Don't respond.|q3][$convooption to 14]] [[Play along.|q3][$convooption to 15]] [[Make a snarky remark back.|q3][$convooption to 16]]''<<elseif $persona is "outgoing">> A woman in the second row catches your eye, and you think her name is Maria. You had seen her in some other interviews you'd done back in England. A worker for ITV, maybe? You smile and gesture at her. "How do you stay so sociable and cheery? I mean, there's a lot that could wear you down." It's a question that has layers, far less innocent than it seems. What she's really asking is, are you actually like this? Or is this all an act? <<if ($outgoing > $reserved)>>For the most part, it's real enough for you. You love talking to people<<else>>The latter is more true for you. You'd much rather hide in a corner than keep talking to people.<</if>> <hr \>''[[Grin, and respond joyfully.|q3][$convooption to 17]] [[Don't respond.|q3][$convooption to 18]] [[You're sick of this. Make a slight dig.|q3][$convooption to 19]] [[Say it's all natural.|q3][$convooption to 20]]''<<else>> A woman in the second row catches your eye, and you think her name is Maria. You had seen her in some other interviews you'd done back in England. A worker for ITV, maybe? You gesture at her. "How do you stay so confident? I mean, you've been through so much throughout your career. It must be hard." It's a question that has layers, far less innocent than it seems. What she's really asking is, are you actually this arrogant? Or is it all an act? <<if ($arrogant > $humble)>>For the most part, it's real enough for you.<<else>>The latter is more true for you. Pretending to be so vain makes your skin crawl at times. Not that she needs to know that.<</if>> <hr \>''[[Make a dig at her.|q3][$convooption to 21]] [[Don't respond|q3][$convooption to 22]] [[Give an "honest" answer.|q3][$convooption to 23]] [[Insist it's all natural.|q3][$convooption to 24]]''<</if>>

<<if ($convooption is 1)>>She's trying to get a rise out of you, and you won't play along. It may not make you the most popular with them but that's a risk you're willing to take. Lea's words ring in your head, as though she was some omnipresent being. //"Whatever you do, don't let them get under your skin."// "I'm honoured to be here, and I see myself as no different from any other athlete," you answer. "It's all fair here. The arena's the same: anything goes."<</if>><<if $convooption is 2>><<set $questionignore to $questionignore + 1>><<if ($arrogant > $humble)>>You aren't entirely sure you'll be able to hide your pride if you speak. Whenever your achievements are brought up, you can't help but preen slightly. Best to avoid it completely, for fear of being seen as an arrogant prick.<<else>>You've never been one to show off, but you don't particularly feel like taking that risk. It opens up chances for far more dangerous questions, like if you even cared at all about your accomplishments.<</if>> "No comment," you dismiss.<</if>><<if $convooption is 3>>You've been forced into a corner. Either you act as expected and be seen as dull, or play along and give them something to work with. Rather bizarrely, being arrogant here may actually make them favour you more: Lea loves talking about playing it up for the media. You've never claimed to understand the intricacies of the press. <<if ($arrogant > $humble)>>You can't help but let hints of your pride shine through your words as you speak.<<else>>Still, you sound more humble than proud when you speak.<</if>>"That's true, I suppose. I have got a lot of awards in comparison." You shrug your shoulders, trying to remain casual. "It's not something I think about too often, though." You can faintly make out the furrow of Maria's eyebrows, mimicked in the faces of the other reporters. Your answer has clearly thrown them for a loop. You can't help but let out a small smile at that fact.<</if>><<if $convooption is 4>>What she's said doesn't just undermine you. It's also insulting to all the other competitors - the idea that they're somehow lesser than you just because you've got more silverware in your cabinets. <<if ($arrogant > $humble)>>There's plenty more reasons as to why you're superior. This one just doesn't hold up as well.<<else>>It's nothing short of rude, and you hate the idea that some may think you're better based purely off awards.<</if>> "Don't think that's fair to say," you respond, eyes locked on Maria's. "All's fair when fighting. Being better isn't just based on how many titles you have." All of the reporters let out small hums, bent over their small notebooks. The incessant scribbling noise was starting to get on your nerves slightly.<</if>><<if $convooption is 21>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>> You're lucky in this sense that you can get away with being ruder than most athletes. That means in situations like this, being a defensive dickhead is the norm for you. It isn't something that would raise questions, although the media do hate you for it slightly. "Are you saying I shouldn't be confident?" you challenge, twisting to make eye contact with her. <<if ($kind > $rude)>>You try to force as much venom as possible into your words.<<else>>The venom in your words comes naturally.<</if>> "I've achieved more than you ever will. My confidence is deserved." The room goes silent at that. If you focus, you could probably hear the sound of Lea rolling her eyes. She never liked this character of yours. Alex was the same as her, meaning you'd probably get a talk on the importance of kindness in your hotel room. Joy.<</if>><<if $convooption is 22>><<set $questionignore to $questionignore + 1>>She's trying to get a rise out of you, and you won't take the bait. Boring, maybe, but safe. There's no risk of your words being twisted if you don't say anything. "Next question," you demure, already looking for another questioner.<</if>><<if $convooption is 23>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>>The word "honestly" being used very loosely here. <<if ($humble > $arrogant)>>If you said the real truth, you'd be shunned and shamed for lying to the public.<<else>>Saying that you just genuinely thought like that may result in even more problems in the future.<</if>> "I stay confident by reminding myself of what I've done," you respond, cocking a brow. "I've done so much. I have no reason to doubt myself." Maybe not the most in character for a brash athlete. But it does gain you some brownie points for giving a decent answer. You need all of those points you can get when it comes to the press.<</if>><<if $convooption is 24>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><<if ($arrogant > $humble)>>It's the truth, really. Some people would call you overconfident, arrogant even. You'd just say you're sure of yourself.<<else>>It's obviously a lie. The concept of bragging is so foreign to you it makes your skin crawl.<</if>> Still, you have to tell them what they want to hear. And that's that you're just born like this. "I've always been like this," you drawl, shrugging in an attempt to stay casual. "Can't say anymore about it. I know what I can do." The reporters seem to believe you, and keep their focus on writing. Jamie would've been able to tell the undercurrent of desperation in your tone. <<if ($jamiefeelings is "hate")>>It's irritating how easily he can read you.<<else>>He's always had a weird talent for it.<</if>><</if>><<if $convooption is 5>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>>She's trying to get a secret out of you, and you won't play along. It may not make you the most popular with them but that's a risk you're willing to take. Lea's words ring in your head, as though she was some omnipresent being. //"Stay in character. Everything else is secondary."// "Well, I tend to meditate to clear my head, as well as avoiding social media." The rest is just a long spiel on the importance of various relaxation techniques you've read about.<</if>><<if $convooption is 6>><<set $questionignore to $questionignore + 1>><<if ($casual > $professional)>>You aren't sure that you'll be able to stay in character if you respond. If you aren't careful, you may end up disclosing every little thing about you. Best to avoid it completely, for fear of ruining your carefully aloof image.<<else>>You've always known to keep the people at an arm's length, but you'd rather not take the risk. It opens up chances for far more dangerous questions, like far more personal ones enquiring about things you'd rather not talk about.<</if>> "No comment," you dismiss.<</if>><<if $convooption is 7>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>>You've been forced into a corner. Either you act as expected and be seen as dull, or play along and give them something to work with. Rather bizarrely, letting them see a glimpse of your life may make them like you more even though it's not what they'll expect. Best to keep people on your toes. <<if ($organised is true)>>"Wish I could say I was all put together and had scheduled times to relax. I tend to just try to fit in relaxation where I can,"<<else>>"I have specific times for when I can relax, although it's hard with my current schedule,"<</if>> you respond, attempting to keep a casual tone. You can faintly make out the furrow of Maria's eyebrows, mimicked in the faces of the other reporters. Your answers clearly threw them for a loop. You can't help but let out a small smile at that fact.<</if>><<if $convooption is 8>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>>You don't owe people a view into your life. Just because you're a celebrity, doesn't mean that everyone needs to know everything about you.<<if ($professional > $casual)>>You've always tended to keep people at an arm's length. After all, revealing too much only leads to bad things.<<else>>Normally you're comfortable sharing information about yourself, but not to a crowd of this many. Sometimes you need to maintain some air of mystery. <</if>> "That's my own personal business," you respond, eyes locked on Maria's. "This is a purely professional setting. Let's keep the questions suitable." All of the reporters let out small hums, bent over their small notebooks. The incessant scribbling noise was starting to get on your nerves slightly.<</if>><<if $convooption is 9>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>>Deflect, deflect, deflect. The best way to handle any question with sinister, serious undertones. Will they inevitably hate your lack of answer? Yes. Will it also be expected? Yes. "All natural, unlike the ghost back there." you joke. You catch a few members of the crowd whipping their head to the back and stifle a giggle. Some people are surprisingly gullible. The majority, however, only grumble in response, focus still firmly on their notebook.<</if>><<if $convooption is 10>>><<set $questionignore to $questionignore + 1>> "No comment." <<if ($humorous > $serious)>>Saying that makes you feel like you're in a court of law. You've basically gone through an interrogation and a half already, so who can blame you?<<else>>You aren't entirely sure whether you can keep up the comedy performance for this question, so it's best to avoid it entirely.<</if>> The reporters don't like your dismissal, but there's nothing they can do about it. They'll still find a way to twist your words, you are sure of that much.<</if>><<if $convooption is 11>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>><<if ($serious > $humorous)>>What do they expect you to say? "Oh yeah, I've been lying to you this whole time, I actually am as funny as a piece of drywall." It's downright irritating and you don't manage to keep your tone neutral as you respond.<<else>>The question is even worse because that genuinely is what you are like. It isn't your fault you were born with the tendency to joke even in the worst situation. You fight to keep the annoyance out of your voice as you respond, and fail.<</if>> "No, I'm actually lying all the time," you say, sarcasm dripping from your words. "I actually just go home, look up jokes and retell them. No fun attitude here." You know that Lea's got her head in her hands right now, but you can't bring yourself to care. Ask stupid questions, get stupid responses.<</if>><<if $convooption is 12>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>>"I was born with it," you respond lightly, shrugging. "A $person's got to have fun somehow!" Maybe there's a tinge of desperation to your tone. Jamie would definitely have pointed out if he was here<<if ($jamiefeelings is "hate")>>, that dickhead.<<else>>.<</if>> All you know is that you want to get them off your back and onto lighter territory.<</if>><<if $convooption is 13>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>>She's trying to get a rise out of you, and you won't play along. It may not make you the most popular with them but that's a risk you're willing to take. Lea's words ring in your head, as though she was some omnipresent being. //"Stay in character. Everything else is secondary."// "I'm honoured to be here, and I see myself as no different from any other athlete," you answer. "It's all fair here. The arena's the same: anything goes."<</if>><<if $convooption is 14>><<set $questionignore to $questionignore + 1>><<if ($arrogant > $humble)>>You aren't sure that you'll be able to stay in character if you respond. Whenever your achievements are brought up, you can't help but preen slightly. Best to avoid it completely, for fear of being seen as an arrogant prick.<<else>>You've never been one to show off, but you don't particularly feel like taking that risk. It opens up chances for far more dangerous questions, like if you even cared at all about your accomplishments.<</if>> "No comment," you dismiss.<</if>><<if $convooption is 15>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>>You've been forced into a corner. Either you act as expected and be seen as dull, or play along and give them something to work with. Rather bizarrely, being arrogant here may actually make them favour you more. The media's never been something you've particularly understood. <<if ($arrogant > $humble)>>You can't help but let hints of your pride shine through your words as you speak.<<else>>Still, you sound more humble than proud when you speak.<</if>>"That's true, I suppose. I have got a lot of awards in comparison." You shrug your shoulders, trying to remain casual. "It's not something I think about too often, though." You can faintly make out the furrow of Maria's eyebrows, mimicked in the faces of the other reporters. Your answers clearly threw them for a loop. You can't help but let out a small smile at that fact.<</if>><<if $convooption is 16>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>>What she's said doesn't just undermine you. It's also insulting to all the other competitors - the idea that they're somehow lesser than you just because you've got more silverware in your cabinets. <<if ($arrogant > $humble)>>There's plenty more reasons as to why you're superior. This one just doesn't hold up as well.<<else>>It's nothing short of rude, and you hate the idea that some may think you're better based purely off awards.<</if>> "Don't think that's fair to say," you respond, eyes locked on Maria's. "All's fair when fighting. Being better isn't just based on how many titles you have." All of the reporters let out small hums, bent over their small notebooks. The incessant scribbling noise was starting to get on your nerves slightly.<</if>><<if $convooption is 17>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>>Keep the mood light. If they're going to treat you like the presenter on a midday children's show, you were going to play the part. Maybe you should've gone for a career in theatre. "There's always a reason to stay cheerful!" you respond, shooting a cheesy grin at the camera. "Life's great!" The silence after speaks volumes.<</if>><<if $convooption is 18>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>><<set $questionignore to $questionignore + 1>> "No comment." <<if ($outgoing > $reserved)>>Saying that makes you feel like you're in a court of law. You may be able to keep up hundreds of conversations a day, but even you're reaching your limit.<<else>>You don't even like people anyway. Talking to this many makes you want to curl up and die.<</if>> The reporters don't like your dismissal, but there's nothing they can do about it. They'll still find a way to twist your words, you are sure of that much.<</if>><<if $convooption is 19>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>><<if ($reserved > $outgoing)>>What do they expect you to say? "Oh yeah, I've been lying to you this whole time, I hate people and all of you." It's downright irritating and you don't manage to keep your tone neutral as you respond.<<else>>The question is even worse because that genuinely is what you are like. News flash! Some people just genuinely enjoy socialising and showing who they are to the world. You fight to keep the annoyance out of your voice as you respond, and fail.<</if>> "No, I'm actually lying all the time," you say, sarcasm dripping from your words. "I actually hate talking to every single one of you. And I'm about as cheerful as an unemployed circus clown." You know that Lea's got her head in her hands right now, but you can't bring yourself to care. Ask stupid questions, get stupid responses.<</if>><<if $convooption is 20>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>>"I was born with it," you exclaim, smiling until your cheeks hurt. "A $person's got to have fun somehow!" Maybe there's a tinge of desperation to your tone. Jamie would definitely have pointed out if he was here<<if ($jamiefeelings is "hate")>>, that dickhead.<<else>>.<</if>> All you know is that you want to get them off your back and onto lighter territory.<</if>> As your eyes scan over the crowd, you see one person in the far corner, looking as though they don't want to be there. It's evident in their posture - their head hung low, body drawn tight together. For you, that's a good sign. It means they probably don't have an evil question up their sleeve to surprise you with. Their eyes widen as you point at them, voice trembling as they speak. <<if ($scar is false)>>"So, well, uh, what-" they begin, and you roll your lips in an attempt to hide your amusement. "What's your, uh, morning routine like?" Well, that's certainly a question. <hr \>''[[Mess with them, but in a funny way.|finalq][$convooption to 1]] [[Mess with them, in a mean way.|finalq][$convooption to 2]] [[Give a formal answer.|finalq][$convooption to 3]] [[Tell the truth.|finalq][$convooption to 4]] [[Tell the "truth".|finalq][$convooption to 5]] [[Don't answer.|finalq][$convooption to 6]]''<<else>>"So, well, uh, how-" they begin, and you roll your lips in an attempt to hide your amusement. "How'd you get your scar?" Well, at least it's something new. <hr \>''[[Mess with them, but in a funny way.|finalq][$convooption to 7]] [[Mess with them, in a mean way.|finalq][$convooption to 8]] [[Give a formal answer.|finalq][$convooption to 9]] [[Tell the truth.|finalq][$convooption to 10]] [[Tell the "truth".|finalq][$convooption to 11]] [[Don't answer.|finalq][$convooption to 12]]''<</if>>

<<if $convooption is 1>><<if $persona is "funny">><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><<elseif ($persona is "authentic")>><<fair_plus "$serious" -4>><<else>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>><</if>><<if ($serious > $humorous)>>Humor isn't typically how you deal with things, but the poor reporter looks so panicked you almost feel bad for them. Anything to get the attention off their shit question and back on you.<<else>>You have the perfect joke up your sleeve, and it comes with the added benefit of getting the attention off the reporter. And people say you put humour above humanity.<</if>> "Well, I need to have a slice of toast in the morning or I get mad," you say, before pausing to build up for the punchline. "I think I'm lack toast intolerant." You roll your lips to stifle your own laughter at the shitty joke, and catch a few reporters doing the same. At least you were fairly successful in your attempt at comedy and deflection. Two birds with one stone, as they say.<<elseif $convooption is 2>><<if $persona is "rude">><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><<elseif ($persona is "authentic")>><<fair_plus "$kind" -4>><<else>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>><</if>><<if ($kind > $rude)>>It's such a stupid question it makes even you want to make fun of them. Morning routine? Really? Even you could come up with a better question<<else>>You aren't the nicest person anyway, and this reporter has handed you a perfect opportunity to strike. Call it revenge for everything they put it through. Best served cold, after all/<</if>> You grin, canines flashing. "Am I so boring that's what you have to resort to?" you ask, faux innocence lacing your words. The reporter shrinks into themselves more as a smirk forms on your lips. "Really, my feelings are hurt." The crowd of journalists shuffle as though they don't know how to respond to that. How the tables turn - now they can know how it feels to be left with a lack of response.<<elseif $convooption is 3>><<if ($persona is "aloof")>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><</if>><<if ($humorous > $serious)>>You'd rather not give such a boring answer, but there's no way the poor reporter actually cares about what you do at six in the morning. Best to just give an answer that makes you look good.<<else>>It's always best to just stay formal when getting questions like this. They don't actually care: might as well just use the chance to make you look better. Lea would be so proud of you.<</if>> "Well, it typically depends on the day," you reply, your tone vaguely stiff. "Normally, skin care before breakfast, then whatever work needs tending to. I try make time to meditate and stretch as well." The crowd moves to write, and you think you can hear some faint scoffs. You're willing to bet you'd get the exact same reaction if you were honest. There's no winning in your position.<<elseif $convooption is 4>><<set $mediarelationship to $mediarelationship + 2>><<if $persona is "authentic">><<fair_plus "$kind" +2>><</if>>It's a pretty innocuous question, so you see no real reason in lying. What will they really do with this information, anyway? Try recreate it themselves to see how hard it is? Let them do so. <<if $organised is false>><<if $persona is "aloof">><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>><</if>>You pull a face, thinking about the morning before you had your flight. "Wish I could say I had a routine," you say, exhaling slightly. "I tend to be a bit of a mess. I'm not the most organised person."<<else>>You're just lucky you're an organised person typically. "I have an alarm, tend to wake up when it goes off. Then it's just a pretty boring morning, honestly. Just normal things like making breakfast and washing up," you respond.<</if>> Despite it being the most bland information ever, the reporters still seem to find something of value to write down. An enviable trait. Your life would be so much easier if you could bullshit with their level of skill.<<elseif $convooption is 5>><<if ($organised is false)>>If you told the truth, there'd be five hundred different people making comments on how disorganised you are. You'd prefer not to have to read all of that tomorrow morning.<<else>>You're pretty organised typically, but there's always something they'll criticise you for. Bending the truth slightly never really hurt anyone, right? The worst it'll do is have a few stragglers on the internet making fun of you.<</if>> "I have an alarm at six, then I eat a quick healthy breakfast before heading out to train," you reply, trying to make your tone as authentic as possible. "After I just work on my research or socialise a little." You can't glean whether the crowd of reporters actually believe you, but they do seem to find something interesting considering how they're all writing. You'd find out tomorrow, you suppose. Or whenever the next article comes out.<<elseif $convooption is 6>><<set $questionignore to $questionignore + 1>>They don't actually care. It's very obviously a panicked attempt to get anything out that resulted in a shitty question. It's best for everyone if you just don't waste your time and breath on answering it. What would they even do with the information? Make one of those videos where they recreate it? Your answer would only serve as a way to boost the word count of some underpaid interns article. "Next question," you dismiss, watching as the reporter seemingly sags in relief. You'd laugh if you didn't have a camera pointing right at you. <<elseif $convooption is 7>><<if $persona is "funny">><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><<elseif ($persona is "authentic")>><<fair_plus "$serious" -4>><<else>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>><</if>><<if ($serious > $humorous)>>Humor isn't typically how you deal with things, but the poor reporter looks so panicked you almost feel bad for them. Plus you get to make up an amusing obviously not true story. <<else>>You have the perfect trick up your sleeve, and it comes with the added benefit of getting the attention off the reporter. And people say you put humour above humanity.<</if>> The actual story is also rather embarassing - you fell out of a treehouse when a bird scared you. "Well, it's a rather wild story. When I was younger me and my friend were crossing a field when a wild bull started chasing us." You pause for dramatic effect. "I bravely jumped in front of the bull and fought it off to save my friend. All in a day's work." You roll your lips to stifle your own laughter at the shitty strory, and catch a few reporters doing the same. At least you were fairly successful in your attempt at comedy and deflection. Two birds with one stone, as they say.<<elseif $convooption is 8>><<if $persona is "rude">><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><<elseif ($persona is "authentic")>><<fair_plus "$kind" -4>><<else>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>><</if>><<if ($kind > $rude)>>It's such a meaningless question that it makes even you want to make fun of them. They had the chance to ask you anything and they chose that? <<else>>You aren't the nicest person anyway, and this reporter has handed you a perfect opportunity to strike. Call it revenge for everything they put it through. Best served cold, after all.<</if>> The truth's rather embarassing anyway - you fell out of a treehouse after a bird scared you. You grin, canines flashing. "Am I so boring that you have to resort to small talk questions?" you ask, faux innocence lacing your words. The reporter shrinks into themselves more as a smirk forms on your lips. "Really, my feelings are hurt." The crowd of journalists shuffle as though they don't know how to respond to that. How the tables turn - now they can know how it feels to be left with a lack of response.<<elseif $convooption is 9>><<if ($persona is "aloof")>><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><</if>><<if ($humorous > $serious)>>You'd rather not give such a boring answer, but there's no way the poor reporter actually cares about how you fell out of a treehouse after a bird scared you. Best to just give an answer that makes you look good.<<else>>It's always best to just stay formal when getting questions like this. They don't actually care: might as well just use the chance to make you look better. Lea would be so proud of you. The truth's dull, anyway - you fell out of a treehouse after a bird scared you.<</if>> "Well, it was rather a long time ago," you reply, your tone vaguely stiff. "I don't remember all too well. it could be during training. I have a tendency to push myself to my limits when I can." The crowd moves to write, and you think you can hear some faint scoffs. You're willing to bet you'd get the exact same reaction if you were honest. There's no winning in your position.<<elseif $convooption is 10>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp + 3>><<if $persona is "authentic">><<fair_plus "$kind" +2>><</if>>It's a pretty innocuous question, so you see no real reason in lying. What will they really do with this information, anyway? Laugh for a few second about how you fell over? Let them do so. "I was far younger," you begin, just so they don't think it happened a week ago or something. "I was in a treehouse and saw a rather large bird. It scared me, I fell out of the house, the rest is history." A few reporters look at you with a mixture of disbelief and shock, whilst others just roll their lips in attempt to stifle their laughter. At least you've appealed to the ccrowd, you suppose. <<elseif $convooption is 11>>The truth is far too embarassing to reveal. Falling out of a tree after just //seeing// a bird isn't exactly a fact you want the whole world to know. Twisting the truth just a little never really hurt anyone, right? "I was a lot younger when it happened," you reply, trying to make your tone as authentic as possible. "I was having fun in my treehouse when a bird flew into my face and startled me. That caused me to fall off and get the scar." You can't glean whether the crowd of reporters actually believe you, but they do seem to find something interesting considering how they're all writing. You'd find out tomorrow, you suppose. Or whenever the next article comes out.<<else>><<set $questionignore to $questionignore + 1>><<set $publicpr to $publicpr - 2>>They don't actually care. It's very obviously a panicked attempt to get anything out that resulted in a shitty question. It's best for everyone if you just don't waste your time and breath on answering it. What would they even do with the information? Laught at hose stupid the fact you fell out of a tree after seeing a bird? Your answer would only serve as a way to boost the word count of some underpaid interns article. "Next question," you dismiss, watching as the reporter seemingly sags in relief. You'd laugh if you didn't have a camera pointing right at you.<</if>> <<if ($alexfeelings is "crush") or ($alexromance > 0)>>''[[next.|alexqrom]]''<<else>>''[[next.|alexq]]''<</if>>

<<if $mediapresence is 0>><<if $convooption is 1>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp + 5>><<if $persona is "arrogant">><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><<else>><<fair_plus "$humble" -2>><</if>><<set $instagramposttype to "selfie">> You scroll through your camera wall, picking out some more recent photos you had taken of yourself. There was a decent variety of poses and facial expressions, so at least it wouldn't be the same picture six times. <<if ($arrogant > $humble)>>You looked good, and you knew it. Why wouldn't you post these?<<else>>Something about just posting pictures of you seems vain, a trait you don't tend to exhibit. But oh well - if you look good, might as well flaunt it.<</if>><<elseif $convooption is 2>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp - 2>><<set $instagramposttype to "view">> You've seen some pretty decent views over the past few weeks, and your camera roll is testament to that. You pick out the best ones, dragging them into a chronological order. One was from London, another taken here in Nepal. Ideally, you'd have one of the many Olympic stadiums featuring, but you hadn't managed to visit one yet. Oh well.<<elseif $convooption is 3>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp + 5>><<if $persona is "funny">><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><<elseif $persona is "aloof">><<set $personastrength to $personastrength - 1>><<else>><<fair_plus "$serious" -2>><</if>><<set $instagramposttype to "silly">>There were a few photos you had taken after a night out with some of your friends, and they were certainly... //something.// Hopefully, exposing yourself like this earns you some points with the public, considering you're displaying your more down to earth side. <<if $persona is "aloof">>It's definitely a far cry from how serious your feed typically is. Hopefully the contrast will work in your favour, not against.<<else>>The contrast from other athletes more serious posts will also help, hopefully.<</if>><<elseif $convooption is 4>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp + 3>><<if $persona is "aloof">><<set $personastrength to $personastrength + 1>><<else>><<fair_plus "$serious" +4>><<fair_plus "$professional" +4>><</if>><<set $instagramposttype to "photoshoot">>You'd nearly forgotten all about it, in all honestly. It was a professionally done one, taken in some up and coming studio in London who specialised in all kinds of photoshoots. <<if $persona is "funny">>There were various shots of you laughing or giggling, all candid ones. Amongst the more professional ones, there are ones of you posing with multiple hats and accessories.<<elseif $persona is "outgoing">>Most of them were of you grinning casually. Some more staged one sincluded you jumping into the air, or playing with a random ball they had found behind set.<<elseif $persona is "rude">>Most the photos were staged, with you looking broodily into the camera. Your personal favourite had you lifting a recent trophy you had won high above your head, as they threw confetti over you.<<elseif $persona is "aloof">>You were dressed formerly, and the background was a plain grey. There was a serious, editorial vibe to them, especially in one where you looked directly into the camera lens.<<elseif $persona is "humble">>It was a more casual affair, and you were dressed in your usual $style style. Your favourite shot was one where you were playfighting with one of the photographers kids who had come to watch.<<else>>You brought your own props along to the shoot, and wore your typical $style style. The poses were more candid and real, and you emphasised the importance of not overediting them in post. To the point where you may have scared a few of the editors.<</if>><<else>><<set $publicrp to $publicrp - 5>><<set $instagrampost to false>> You didn't really have anything to post anyway, so there was no point. If you did, you'd end up getting caught in responding and liking to the thousands of comments that would inevitably pour in. It all was far too tiring, and you didn't feel like dealing with it.<</if>> You move on to liking some other posts from various other athletes. One had recently had a baby, apparently. The time passes as you scroll through the myriad of posts available.<<set $mediapresence to 1>> ''[[You end up stopping soon after.|timespendday]]''<</if>>

The silence in the room was deafening. You had been sitting in a chair for what felt like years, head in hands. Lea had ordered you to stay put as though you were a disobedient toddler who had been banished to the naughty step. In some ways, you were. Alex had been pacing the length of the entire room ever since you got here, only punctuating the silence with the occasional - “What the fuck.” There $ahe went again. You look up, only to see the bright green of $ahis eyes boring into you. The harshness made you wince slightly. $Ahis sentiment was perfectly valid, to be honest. In your attempt to not mess up your press conference, you had somehow accidentally invented a world in which you and Alex were dating. What the fuck indeed. A banging on the door breaks you out of your misery, and you just watch as Alex opens it. Lea doesn’t even wait for the door to fully open before barging in, stalking to stand in front of you. Her haste isn’t unusual, but the tight frown on her face certainly is. You wince again. It seems that you’ll be doing a lot of wincing in the next few minutes, a sentiment confirmed when Lea starts speaking. “I mean, I understand you were under pressure or whatever, but you were doing great! You practically had them eating out of the palm of your hand!” She explodes, swinging her hands around wildly. “To be honest, $name, I have absolutely zero clue as to what made you react like that. An explanation would be nice, just maybe?” Instead of offering anything in response, you just bury your face in your hands. Anything you say would only make the whole situation worse. Lea collapses into a nearby chair with a long suffering sigh. She spins a ring around her finger, glaring holes into a fixed point on the wall before beginning to speak again. “Obviously, this is in no way ideal. But… there is a way we could make this work,” she begins. You look at her, intrigued and very slightly hopeful as to what she could have up her sleeve to rescue this mess. Her lips twitch slightly. “Fake dating.” Your small hope immediately dissipates. “Absolutely not.” Alex spat out, swinging around suddenly. Unrestrained anger is evident in $ahis voice. It makes you flinch slightly. You had never before seen $ahim angry, let alone furious. You had also almost completely forgotten $ahe was still here. $Ahe was practically trying to blend in with the walls with how little $ahe was moving. <hr \>''[[Try lighten up to mood.|leafeedbackafd1][$convooption to 1]] [[Frown slightly. That kind of hurts.|leafeedbackafd1][$convooption to 2]] [[Agree with Alex. ❣✕|leafeedbackafd1][$convooption to 3; $alexfakedate to false; $afdcheck to "lie"]] [[Curl up and hope everything turns out ok.|leafeedbackafd1][$convooption to 4]] [[Try and hear Lea out.|leafeedbackafd1][$convooption to 5]]''

<<if $convooption is 1>><<fair_plus "$serious" -4>><<if ($serious > $humorous)>>The tension in the room is so stifling you'd resort to anything to get rid of it. Even attempt humour.<<else>>The tension is so stifling you can't help but do the one thing you always do when the stress is too much. Joke around.<</if>> "Hey, at least we can break a record. First couple who only got together after they announced it!" You quip, exaggerating the humour laced into your tone. Alex and Lea slowly turn to face you with twin looks of disgust. Your neck burns with embarassment, and you scratch your head, chewing on your lip. "Bad timing. Right. Sorry." You were partially successful, you suppose, considering the tension in the room is replaced with a general sense of awkwardness. After a few, long seconds, Lea and Alex continue with their dispute.<<elseif $convooption is 2>><<fair_plus "$humble" -2>>Ok, yeah, maybe being forced to date the athelete you coach because $he fucked up isn't the //ideal// situation. But does the idea of dating you actually disgust $ahim that much? It's quite a stupid thing to be caught up on, all things considering, but your mind can't help but linger on it. <<if ($humorous > $serious)>>Some part of your brain wants to come back with a childish rebuke. The more normal part tells you that feels like poking an already pissed off bear right now. Said bear is still arguing with Lea when you attempt to tune into their conversation again.<<else>>Still, you know better than to bring that up now of all times. Maybe in a months time, as a faux casual remark. Your ears perk as you attempt to tune back into Lea and Alex's conversation.<</if>><<elseif $convooption is 3>><<set $alex to $alex - 8>><<set $alexromance to $alexromance - 2>>"Alex's right. No fucking way." $Ahe whips $ahis head around at your agreement, gaze meeting yours. There's a strange mix of emotions you can only faintly read from $ahis eyes. Confusion, anger and... hurt? The final part causes you to furrow your brows, bewildered. You must have interpreted it wrong. <<if $alexfeelings is "crush">>Part of you screams to take it back, to pretend the idea is a great one. The other, more logical side, acknowledges how bad of an idea this is. You shouldn't feed into your conflicting feelings about your crush. In fact, you should do the opposite, try snuff the flame out before it grows into a forest fire. Even the brightest flames die without food. Hopefully.<<else>>The flicker of desire you feel when it comes to Alex should be snuffed out, not fed. Pull your hand back before the flames of romance singe and burn your fingertips away, until you lose your identity. Before the warmth engulfs you whole, your ashes never to be recovered. Maybe you're being melodramatic, but the general point remains. It's a bad idea.<</if>> The emotions is Alex's look have been wiped clean, replaced with a blank slate of cold indifference that doesn't quite suit $ahim. "We both agree it's a bad idea," $ahe tells Lea, voice tinged with some emotion you can't name. "We're not doing it."<<elseif $convooption is 4>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" -4>>This was a weird, fucked up situation, and maybe if you clamp your eyes shut it'll all go away. You can feel Alex's gaze on you, and it makes your neck burn with a painful kind of awareness. This whole situation was your fault. Yet here you were, hiding away like you were a kid who got caught stealing the last lollipop from the teachers desk. This was some strange form of punishment. Head down, you try tune back into Lea and Alex's dispute without fully involving yourself in it.<<else>><<fair_plus "$serious" +4>>Sure, it sounds like an outlandish idea. Realistically, though, you were backed into a corner with no way for escape. This fake dating illusion was your only hope of rescue, and you'd be damned if you didn't grab it with both hands. <<if $alexfeelings is "crush">>(And maybe, a selfish part of you wants to take any chance you get to date Alex. This was most likely the closest you'd get to it.)<<else>>If you had told the past you that you'd be unironically accepting an offer to date your coach, you would have laughed in your own face. But here you are.<</if>><</if>> <<if $alexfakedate is true>>“Well, what do you suggest, oh mighty coach? Tell the reporters $name was lying? They’ll tear $him to shreds!” she snipes back, arms crossed. To her credit, she doesn’t back down, even as Alex approaches dangerously close to her. “Anything but this, maybe?” $ahe counters, glaring the woman down. “This idea is a disaster.” Lea only scoffs at this. “It’s either a disaster or the end of $name’s reputation. Make a decision without being selfish..” You watch as Alex flinches at Lea's words. $Ahe then turns away from the two of you, evidently deep in thought. It gives you a chance to think about how you feel about this almost comical solution. It wouldn’t be out of place for a sitcom episode, that’s for sure. But for real life? <<if $alexfeelings is "crush">>You've wanted to be with $ahim for who knows how long now. It's become an insecapable part of your life, really. $Ahe haunts you, as you lose sleep staring at the thousands of stars, gaze stuck on the ones that look like $ahis eyes. Tracing the places on your skin $ahe touched with nothing but friendly intent. Every single one of your interactions were laced with the overhanging feeling of wanting more. But you never thought that more would happen like //this.//<<else>>You don't even know where this idea even originated from. The things you currently feel for Alex are more likely to just be a byproduct of your nerves, not anything serious. Give it a month and they'll have fluttered away, lost in the wind forever. No point in dwelling on it so much. The only reason you aren't hideously opposed to this is to rescue your reputation. That, and only that.<</if>> “Fine.” You blink rapidly, that word having broken you out of your stupor. You were struggling to process the fact that Alex had actually agreed. What happened to their seemingly strong objections to the idea. “Great. From this moment, the two of you,” Lea says, pointing at you then Alex, “are in a committed, happy relationship, forever how long is necessary. I’ll text you both the plans later.” With this final statement, she spins around and walks out the room, leaving just you and your coach in there. Correction. You and your fake $abf. What had you gotten yourself into?<<else>>Lea looks between you both. Unlike Alex, the emotions in her eyes are as clear as day. She's weighting it up: whether to be your friend or be your manager. "Fine." The resignation in her tone is evident, similar to the relief that floods Alex's features. "But," she continues, holding up a warning finger before you move to speak. "They won't be kind about this. You'll have to deal with that." No points for guessing who "they" is. You only offer her a nod, and she opens her mouth as though she has something to say. At your curious look, Lea only shakes her head, exhaling out her nose. You won't be learning what she was thinking any time soon. She's probably just wallowing in how absolutely fucked you are for the foreseeable future After sorting out a few more logistical things, both Lea and Alex leave. You're finally alone for the first time in hours.<</if>> ''[[next.|thenextdays]]''

You can't remember exactly when you first saw it used. A few years ago, maybe, after one of your earliest career wins. The only reaosn you even noticed it was because Jamie called you it the next time you met, causing you to pull a face of confusion and him to explain. (With much glee, it should be added. He seemed //thrilled// to know something about yourself that you didn't.) According to him, the media //loved// having nicknames for people. Phoenixes are well known for being assossciated with rebirth, and new life. In their eyes, the rebirth was of your surname - potentially restoring it back to its former glory. Up to you to rise from the ashes that your name became after that scandal. No pressure whatsoever. <hr \>''[[You scowl. You hate the nickname.|persona3][$nicknamefeelings to "hate"]] [[Hate is a strong word, but it isn't your favourite.|persona3][$nicknamefeelings to "eh"]] [[It's just a word. You don't care.|persona3][$nicknamefeelings to "neutral"]] [[You quite like it.|persona3][$nicknamefeelings to "like"]] [[Honestly? You love it.|persona3][$nicknamefeelings to "love"]]''

<<if $nicknamefeelings is "hate">><<fair_plus "$humble" +4>>You weren't a fan of it. At all. <<if ($humble > $arrogant)>>You've never been the type to show off, and the whole idea of having such a bold nickname makes you cringe. Wouldn't your first name suffice?<<else>>You're not humble, necessarily, but the nickname still sucks. Your name should be more than enough to tell people who you were, not some weird fantasy motif.<</if>> Kaitlyn seems to pick up on your discomfort, judging by the way she immediately switches the topic onto something else.<<elseif $nicknamefeelings is "eh">><<fair_plus "$humble" +2>>You're feelings aren't strong enough that you can say you hate it, but you'd rather not have one. It almost makes you feel as though you are a performer for children rather than a professional athlete. Shouldn't just your name be enough? Kaitlyn seems to pick up on yourmild discomfort, judging by the way she immediately switches the topic onto something else.<<elseif $nicknamefeelings is "neutral">>It's just a name, really. If the media enjoy calling you it, so be it. You'd rather that than something more insulting. At least it sounds vaguely impressive. You've heard of much worse ones before - your mothers were a prime example of that. You give a nod of affirmation, and Kaitlyn cocks her head. "Thought so. Just wanted to confirm," she explains, offering a small smile.<<elseif $nicknamefeelings is "like">><<fair_plus "$humble" -2>>It makes you sound cooler than you are, and it's not horribly insulting. Probably the nicest thing the media have ever done for you upon reflection. You smile and nod. Kaitlyn returns it with a shy one of her own, before speaking. "Thought so. Just wanted to confirm," she explains, fiddling with her hoodie string.<<else>><<fair_plus "$humble" -4>>As far as nicknames go, "the phoenix" is an amazing one. It's surprising the press gave it to you of their own volition and not by being told to. <<if ($humble > $arrogant)>>By no means are you an egotistical person, but you have to admit you enjoy how impressive it makes you sound.<<else>>It makes you sound as impressive as you are. You deserve for all your hard work to be acknowleged like that.<</if>> You smile and nod, preening slightly under the praise. Kaitlyn returns it with a shy one of her own, before speaking. "Thought so. Just wanted to confirm," she explains, fiddling with her hoodie string.<</if>> For the next thirty minutes or so, you make pleasant conversation, until she yawns. You take that as your queue to taper off the conversation. Just before she turns over to sleep, she scribbles something down on a loose sheet of paper. "My number," she explains, handing it over. "Always nice to have a friend here." <<set $optiona to true>> ''[[That was nice.|planechoices1]]''

<<if $convooption is 1>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" +4>>You're bored, and you've still got so long left on this plane. Might as well have a bit of fun. <<if ($reserved > $outgoing)>> You're never normally this bold, but there's almost no other entertainment available to you right now. Might as well play along.<</if>> "Surprised I didn't know of you earlier," you flirt, holding his gaze. "People this handsome don't normally slip my attention." Javier's grin is in full force now. The smile reveals a single dimple in his left cheek. It's clear in his expression he didn't expect you to respond, let alone with the same energy. "Glad we can rectify that error, sí?" You let your eyes rake down his form, admiring his fashion sense. The smart casual clothing fits him well, and the fact his buttons are undone just so you can catch a glimpse of his collarbones helps. When you meet his eyes again, the grin is replaced with a smug smirk.<<elseif $convooption is 2>>You're not particularly a fan of it, but you're also not goign to be rude. A compliment is a compliment, despite the intentions behind them. "That's sweet of you to say," you repsond, offering a small smile. He grins back. "Sweet's my middle name."<<elseif $convooption is 5>>Nothing against the guy, but you don't really want to do this type of thing whilst up in the sky and having just woken up. Your brain just isn't that alert. "So, what sport do you do?" you ask, trying to smoothly shift the conversation. If Javier notices this change in topic, he rather politely doesn't point it out. "Fencing. Not the most common, I know." You hum in acknowledgment. Some sports were still overlooked, even on a stage as big as the Olympics. His gaze is still stuck on you when he opens his mouth to speak again.<<elseif $convooption is 3>><<if ($kind > $rude)>>You'd normally avoid being so blunt, but you're tired in the sky. You're giving yourself a bit of leeway.<<else>>You can't be bothered to play fake nice right now.<</if>> "Don't do that," you say bluntly, giving him an unimpressed look. He only holds his hands up in mock surrender. "Sorry, sorry," he mutters as he drops his arms back into his lap. "My bad." You can tell by the look on Javier's face there's something else he wants to say, and you watch him curiously.<<else>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" -4>>You can feel the heat rush to your cheeks. The words for a response are stuck in your throat, refusing to come out. Instead of responding, you drop your eyes to examine his outfit, or as much of it you can see.<<if ($outgoing > $reserved)>>Typically, you aren't this shy, so you don't really know how to deal with it.<</if>> The smart casual clothing he's wearing fits him well. The uppermost buttons of his shirt are undone just so you can catch a glimpse of his collarbones. When you finally meet his eyes again, Javier's grin is replaced with a smug smirk. You can feel the warmth in your face growing unbearable. Is there such thing as plane fever?<</if>> "Say, can I get your number?" he asks, eyes searching your face for a reaction. "As friends, maybe. Or if you want a little more casual... //fun//, I'd be happy to provide." The implication of his words are clear. [note: if playing as an asexual character, sex scenes/mentions of sex will automatically be rejected by your character, and the respective writing skipped. romantic physical actions (e.g kissing) will still be available as choices.] <hr \>''[[You'll give it.|personc2][$convooption to 1]] [[You'll give it, but as a friend only.|personc2][$convooption to 2; $javier to "friend"]] [[You're asexual, but you'll give it as a friend.|personc2][$convooption to 3; $javier to "friend"; $asexual to true]] [[You're asexual, and you don't want to.|personc2][$convooption to 4; $asexual to true]] [[You dont want to.|personc2][$convooption to 5]]''

<<if $convooption is 1>>Worst comes to worst, you end up ignoring his text for a few days until the end. The best case scenario... well, you'll find out, won't you? You stretch out your palm, and he wolfishly grins, handing over his phone. Javier's already prenamed your contact as "the hot $person from the plane". You quirk a brow as you type in your number. "Not even a first name?" He lets his hand brush yours for a second too long when taking his phone back before responding. "Maybe in the future, if you're lucky. I'll text you soon?" At your nod, he lets out a smug exhale, looking unfairly handsome. Then, he's standing, beginning to walk away to some other part of the plane.<<elseif $convooption is 2>>You stretch out your palm, watching as he places his phone in it. "Only as friends, though," you warn, typing in your number. Best to make your intentions clear and avoid getting his hopes up. "I can work with friends," Javier responds, offering a small smile. "Never hurts to have more." You let out a huff of amusement. For such an obvious flirt, he's weirdly sweet. Before you can offer up a decent response, he's already upped and gone, walking over to some other part of the plane.<<elseif $convooption is 3>>You don't tend to be into sexual things, let alone with a person you barely know. Friends, however, is something you can do. At your outstretched palm, he victoriously places his phone in it, making you laugh. "Only as friends, though," you warn, tapping in your number. "So don't go getting your hopes up." He hums in acknowledgment. "That's cool. I can do friends. They're also fun." You let out a huff of amusement. For such an obvious flirt, he's weirdly sweet. Before you can respond properly, he's already upped and gone, walking over to some other part of the plane.<<elseif $convooption is 4>>You don't tend to be into sexual things, let alone with a person you barely know. As well as that, you dont particularly want to hand your number over to a stranger. <<if ($rude > $kind)>>"No," you say shortly, crossing your arms. He looks down awkwardly at your harsh rejection, scratchign the back of his head. "Right. Sorry." he mutters, standing up to leave. You don't bother watching him as he goes.<<else>>"I'd rather not, sorry," you say, trying to make your rejection kind. His head drops slightly, but he still smiles. "That's fine. Hope I didn't make you feel uncomfortable or anything," he says, standing to leave. You watch as he wanders down the plane aisle before shifting your gaze away.<</if>><<else>>You're not about to hand your number over to a total stranger. Let alone, a stranger who shamelessly hit on you five seconds into your first interaction with them. Seriously, was the concept of small talk lost? <<if ($rude > $kind)>>"No," you say shortly, crossing your arms. He looks down awkwardly at your harsh rejection, scratching the back of his head. "Right. Sorry." he mutters, standing up to leave. You don't bother watching him go.<<else>>"I'd rather not, sorry," you say, trying to make your rejection kind. His head drops slightly, but he still smiles. "That's fine. Hope I didn't make you feel uncomfortable or anything," he says, standing to leave. Your eyes follow his figure as he walks down the aisle for a few seconds, before you shift your gaze elsewhere.<</if>><</if>> <<set $optionc to true>> ''[[That was interesting.|planechoices1]]''

<<if $minmet is false>>You take the left turn, desperately praying that your sense of direction is somewhat intact. The crowded, multicoloured houses tower over you, boxing you into the mussy side road. As you walk further in, the space gradually begins to clear, til you can make out a sign at the end. Approaching, you squint and make out the letters. //Makout's Cafe, 100m.// You'd only gone and fucking done it.<<else>>You follow straight on, just as Min had told you to. The crowded, multicoloured houses tower over you, boxing you into the mussy side road. As you walk further in, the space gradually begins to clear, til you can make out a sign at the end. Approaching, you squint and make out the letters. //Makout's Cafe, 100m.// Thank fuck.<</if>> The walk to the cafe is a short one, and you can immediately spot it. The outside is painted a pastel mint green, contrasting the vibrant colours surrounding it. There's a few tables and chairs scattered outside, with couples and families huddled around them. A bell clings musically as you walk in, a glass display chock full of pastries to your right. The inside is decorated with similarly pale colours, a cacophany of shades of blue and orange. It's the difference between these hues and the person sitting at the corner table that draws your eyes to them. They're wearing a bright white cropped top, a bold graphic plastered on the front. From what you can tell, they seem to be wearing a black miniskirt, matching perfectly with the thigh highs they have on. It screams fashonista, and you can't help but be slightly intimidated by it. Your intimidation only grows when they slide their sunglasses up onto their head, making direct eye contact with you. <<if ($wendyhear is true)>>Seeing their face fully causes you to realise who exactly Lea set you up with. Wendy Morgan. Also known as the most sought after British influencer. Your manager clearly wasn't kidding when she said she had friends in high places. Wendy was obviously the one you had to meet. <<if ($wendyromance is 1)>>And somehow, she's even more stunning in person. Fuck.<</if>><<else>>Seeing them fully causes you to pause for a second. Their features seem familiar, although you can't exactly place why. Either way, they seem to have recognised you, and you should probably make your way over.<</if>> ''[[next|wendymeet]]''

<<if ($wendymet) is false>>You turn right, watching as the crowded, multicoloured buildings puncture the light blue sky. Kids rush hastily around the streets, winding between cars and each other. The side street you’re following soon opens up to a plethora of crossing roads, cars zipping by. It feels like a strange place to host a cafe, but it’s too late for you to turn back now. You only hope that the person Lea set you up with doesn't dislike tardiness too much.<<else>> You exit the cafe, watching as the crowded, multicoloured buildings puncture the slowly darkening sky. Kids rush hastily around the streets, winding between cars and each other. The side street you’re following soon opens up to a plethora of crossing roads, cars zipping by. It doesn't seem like the same path you walked only an hour ago. You don't feel like getting lost here in the dark.<</if>> People jaywalk across the paths freely, a cacophony of harsh honks and horns filling the air. You suppose it wouldn’t be too out of place if you followed suit. A light jog gets you across the first road, and a hand up with the second one. You think a driver swears at you at some point, although the curse is lost amidst the thousands of other noises. It’s when you’re crossing the last road that your recklessness costs you. Midway through, you catch a rickshaw speeding through the streets. Right at you. Your body tenses, and you can’t force yourself to move. Every muscle feels stiff, locked in position. Is this how you’d die? A professional athlete, lost forever to a fucking rickshaw driver? A warm arm wraps around your midriff, yanking you out of the way. It feels as though your soul has been pulled out of your body with the force they use. <<if ($touchaverse is true)>>You immediately squirm out of their hold as soon as possible, uncomfortable. The person pulls their hands back in, turning to face you properly.<<else>>Their arms quickly release you, and they turn to fully face you.<</if>> Your saviour pops an earbud out and makes an apologetic face. “Sorry, just didn’t want you to get hit.” A light accent you can’t exactly place laces their words. The tone of the voice is vaguely musical, a comforting undernote that reassures and soothes. ''[[next|minmeet]]''

<<if $convooption is 1>>It was pretty shitty of you to leave $ahim with no defence against the reporters. Sure, maybe you had expectations to keep up. But at the end of the day, no amount of positive press is more important than your personal relationships. When you start sacrificing one for the other? That's when things start to get messy. <<if ($arrogant > $humble)>>You've never been one to apologise, so attempting to find the correct words is a struggle.<<else>> The words come as easily to you as breathing.<</if>> "Sorry, Alex. I should've defended you back then." Your words cause a small smile to grow on $ahis face, and $ahe meets your eye. <<if $alexfeelings is "crush">>It causes small butterflies to explode in your stomach, a warm heat threatening to invade your cheeks.<</if>> "Thanks, $name," $ahe responds, a uniquely raw vulnerability in $ahis tone. "Means a lot. More than you could know." Alex doesn't wait for you to respond, or for you to question the strange undertone to $ahis last statement. Instead, $ahe just makes $ahis way over to the door, swinging it open and taking $ahis leave. Leaving you by yourself. <<elseif $convooption is 2>>It's fair that $ahe's upset- after all, you didn't even deny that $ahe's a bad coach. But it's not like you have much choice. It was either give a measured response they'd ignore and shame you for or keep in character. Surely $ahe'd understand that, right? $Ahe used to be an athlete just like you after all. "Sorry," you offer up, biting the inside of your cheek. <<if ($kind > $rude)>>You're lucky that you're typically a kind person. It lends a note of honesty to your tone that you aren't entirely sure is fully authentic.<<else>>You aren't used to being sweet, and it comes through in your tone. At least you tried, you suppose. Better than nothing.<</if>> Despite your fairly nice words (or word, if you're being pedantic), Alex's face dullens. It's odd to see your coach without $ahis normal cheerfullness, let alone seeing $ahim like //this.// "Don't apologise unless you actually mean it, $name. Please." $ahe responds, voice filled with some strange emotion you can't place. Alex doesn't wait for you to respond, or for you to question the plea $ahe made. Instead, $ahe just makes $ahis way over to the door, swinging it open and taking $ahis leave. Leaving you by yourself. <<else>><<set $alex to $alex - 4>>Maybe you should've defended $ahim to the bloodthirsty reporters. Equally, that may kill the reputation you've been building over the last few years. Alex was an athlete before- $ahe should know better than anyone that sometimes, you have to put personal feelings below others. At your silence, a microexpression flitters over $ahis face. It's gone as soon as it flashes up, but the lingering feeling that you've hurt $ahim somehow stays. You two stay in this awkward no mans land until $ahe decides to speak. "I should get going," Alex says, not quite meeting your eye. <<if $alexfeeling is "crush">>You roll your lips in an attempt to stifle the wave of sympathy that crashes over you. Hurting $ahim is surely worse than whatever any reporter could have come up with.<</if>> $Ahe doesn't wait for your response - instead, $ahe swings the door open and makes $ahis own exit. Leaving you by yourself.<</if>> ''[[Again.|thenextdays]]''

<<if ($reserved > $outgoing)>>You walk over slowly, hesitance evident in your steps<<else>>You walk over to the table, confident.<</if>> <<if ($wendyhear is true)>><<set $wendy to $wendy + 4>>"Wendy Morgan, right?" you ask as you approach. It's clear from the look on their face she wasn't expecting you to recognise her, let alone know her name. They nod in affirmation, schooling their face back into the mildly neutral expression she sported before. She motions for you to take a seat before speaking. "And you're $name $surname." They lean back, quietly observing you. "Hm." You aren't quite sure how to respond to that, and you can't tell if Wendy is unaware of that fact or if they just enjoy watching you squirm.<<else>>Their gaze follows you as you walk over, face smoothed over in indifference. "$name $surname. I'm Wendy Morgan." You let out a hum of acknowledgment, moving to take a seat from across her. The name's one you've heard before although you still can't tell where from. She leans back in her chair, eyes scanning your form.<</if>> "So. Since we're both here, might as well make the most of our time. Ask me anything, or whatever," she says. Despite this, their body posture seems like they'd prefer if you had nothing to say. ''[[next|wendymeet1]]'' <<set $timespend to 0>><<set $optiona to false>><<set $optionb to false>><<set $optionc to false>><<set $optiond to false>><<set $optione to false>><<set $optionf to false>><<set $wendymet to true>>

<<if $minmet is true>> <<if ($timespend is 3)>>''[[It's getting late. You should go.|wendymeetend]]''<<else>> <<if $optiona is false>>''[[“So… what’s your favourite colour?”]]''<<elseif $optiona is true>><span class="greyedout">''“So… what’s your favourite colour?”''</span><</if>> <<if ($optionb is false) and ($wendyhear is true)>>''[[Order her an almond croissant.]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">''Order her an almond croissant.''</span><</if>> <<if $optionc is false>>''[[“Why’d you agree to this anyway?”]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">''“Why’d you agree to this anyway?”''</span><</if>> <<if ($optiond is false) and ($wendyhear is false)>>''[[“What exactly do you do?”]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">''“What exactly do you do?”''</span><</if>> <<if $optione is false>>''[[“Why are you here?”]]''<<elseif $optione is true>><span class="greyedout">''“Why are you here?”''</span><</if>> <<if $optionf is false>>''[[“...Do you want to ask me anything?”]]''<<elseif $optionf is true>><span class="greyedout">''“...Do you want to ask me anything?”''</span><</if>> <</if>> <<else>> <<if ($timespend is 4)>> ''[[You should get going before it's too late.|wendymeetend]]''<<else>> <<if $optiona is false>>''[[“So… what’s your favourite colour?”]]''<<elseif $optiona is true>><span class="greyedout">''“So… what’s your favourite colour?”''</span><</if>> <<if ($optionb is false) and ($wendyhear is true)>>''[[Order her an almond croissant.]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">''Order her an almond croissant.''</span><</if>> <<if $optionc is false>>''[[“Why’d you agree to this anyway?”]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">''“Why’d you agree to this anyway?”''</span><</if>> <<if ($optiond is false) and ($wendyhear is false)>>''[[“What exactly do you do?”]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">''“What exactly do you do?”''</span><</if>> <<if $optione is false>>''[[“Why are you here?”]]''<<elseif $optione is true>><span class="greyedout">''“Why are you here?”''</span><</if>> <<if $optionf is false>>''[[“...Do you want to ask me anything?”]]''<<elseif $optionf is true>><span class="greyedout">''“...Do you want to ask me anything?”''</span><</if>> <</if>> <</if>>

<<if ($wendy > 45) or ($wendyromance > 2)>>The conversation tapers slightly, and you can tell that it's time to take your leave. Wendy beats you before you speak. "Can I get your number? I mean, if we're going to be 'friends'," she asks, making air quotations at the word, "We should probably make it believeable." They hold their phone out, and there's an undercurrent of hesitation to her tone. It's almost as though she's scared you may reject her. <hr \>''[[Give it to her and flirt. ♡|wendymeetend1][$convooption to 1]] [[Tease her slightly, but give it.|wendymeetend1][$convooption to 2]] [[Just give it to her.|wendymeetend1][$convooption to 3]] [[You hope this is romantic. Give it to her. ♡|wendymeetend1][$convooption to 4]]''<<else>>The conversation tapers slightly, and you should probably take your leave. Before you do, though, a sudden thought strikes you. "Can I grab your number?" you ask, holding out your phone. "If we're going to make this whole friends thing believable, we'll probably need to text." Lea would be so proud of your networking skills. Wendy stares at you for a few, tense seconds, and you fear she may just straight up reject you. <<if $arrogant > $humble>>That'd manage to hurt even your ego. Lea once said it was stronger than carbon fibre.<<else>>You're not sure your ego could take that. It's not exactly the most solid thing in the world.<</if>> But before you can take it back and mumble an apology, she takes it from you and begins typing. "Only text me when it's necessary," they warn, not looking up. <<if $minmet is true>>"And don't be late if we ever meet again."<<else>>"See you around."<</if>>With a final, decisive tap, they place your phone back in your open hand and walk out of the cafe. You're just left sitting there. By yourself. A waiter shoots you a sympathetic grimace before going back to cleaning the counter. <<if $minmet is false>>''[[That's that, then.|rightturn]]''<<else>>''[[That's that, then.|backinroom]]''<</if>><</if>>

<<if $convooption is 1>><<set $wendyromance to $wendyromance + 1>>"You can," you begin, before flashing her a cheeky smile, "If you admit you just want my number. None of this fake friendship bullshit. We're both smarter than that." A small smile quirks on their lips, and she meets your gaze coolly. Despite her calm demeanour, hidden humour dances in their eyes. "You think highly of yourself, $name," she responds. There's no bite to her remark - just lighthearted amusement. It suits her well, and serves as a glimpse as to why so many are their fans. <<if ($arrogant > humble)>>"That I do," you quip back, taking her phone. "So? We have a deal?"<<else>>"Not normally," you reply, taking her phone. "But do we have a deal?"<</if>> They exhale, eyes scanning your form once more. "Fine. Can I have your number, as more than PR friends?" You grin victoriously, typing in your phone number onto her phone. Her feigned reluctance is nothing short of amusing. You just barely restrain from saving yourself as "your new best friend ever". Don't want to push your luck too much. "Here you go," you say, passing her phone back before standing to go. <<elseif $convooption is 2>><<set $wendy to $wendy + 1>><<fair_plus "$serious" -2>><<fair_plus "$professional" -2>>"Ooh, what a friendly offer. How tempting," you tease, crossing your arms. Wendy's eyebrows rise a fraction before you continue. "I'm kidding, of course you can have it." She hands the phone over. As you begin to type, you're strangely aware of their eyes scanning your form. Approving or disapproving is anyone's guess.<<if ($professional > $casual)>>You hope that your teasing didn't make you dislike her. It's not something you do often - maybe you should just stick to your formal air.<<else>>You wonder if your teasing bothered her. You do have a tendency to be too casual sometimes - you've only just met her, after all. Best not to be overly familiar already.<</if>> You shake the thought from your head as you hand the phone back to her, standing up. "Here you go." <<elseif ($convooption is 3)>><<set $wendy to $wendy + 2>><<fair_plus "$serious" +2>><<fair_plus "$professional" +2>>"Of course," you say, taking the phone from her hand. As you type, you're strangely aware of their eyes scanning your form. Your mind drifts back to why they seemed as though they didn't expect you to accept. It didn't seem like Wendy was a person who gets rejected often - so why the hesitation? The adjective doesn't even fit with her image. You shake the thought from your head. You've only just met her. There's no way you'll know absolutely everything about her because, quite frankly, it's none of your business. Lea doesn't even know all about you, so why should you already know all about Wendy? As you hand the phone back to her you stand up. Now seemed about the right time to leave. "Here you go."<<else>><<set $wendyromance to $wendyromance + 1>>You don't want to be too presumptuous. After all, you've only just met Wendy - there's no way you can know her true intentions already. You don't even know Lea's intentions half the time, and you've been friends for who knows how long. But hoping isn't the same thing as presuming. You're free to hope as much as you want: hope it's genuine, hope it's romantic, hope that this may go somewhere good. You don't voice any of this, of course. It'd probably scare them off rather than making her want you any more. "Of course," you just say, taking the phone from her hand. You can feel their gaze on you as you type. It's not cold, but not warm either - a strange in between of the two. As you hand the phone back to her you stand up. "Here you go."<</if>> You can still feel her eyes on your back as you swing open the door. <<if $minmet is false>>"See you around, $name."<<else>>"Don't be late next time, $name."<</if>> Their unexpected words causes you to turn, and you shoot them a quick smile. Then, you step back out into the city, greeted by the sensation of a wall of humid air hitting your face. It's becoming familiar already. <<if $minmet is false>>''[[Time to find your way back.|rightturn]]''<<else>>''[[Time to find your way back.|backinroom]]''<</if>>

You scan their features. Brown skin, small gold hoops glinting against the faint light. They sport a red mullet, a feature which perfectly matches their grungey fashion style. It consists of a black and grey striped shirt, leather jacket thrown on top. The top is harmonious with the black, flared trouses they're also wearing. <<if ($style is "alternative")>>It's not too different to what you're wearing.<<else>>Not something you'd wear, but it suits them well.<</if>> They offer up a timid smile under your appraisal. "So, where are you headed?" they ask, musical tone brushing their words. <<if ($wendymet is false)>>You rub your forehead, annoyed. There's no way you won't be late to the meeting Lea set up for you: she'll definitely grill you for that later. Especially after she specifically told you not to be late. "Makout's Cafe," you say, biting the inside of your cheek. "If you know where that is?" To your surprise, they brighten. "I do!" they exclaim, flashing you a quick smile. It reveals two small fang like teeth. "I'm headed around there, actually. I could take you?"<<else>>You take a quick glance at the sky, getting dimmer by the second. With how late it's getting, and the fact you can't see a taxi in the nearby vicinity, you need to take a risk on trusting this person. "The Olympic village," you begin, pulling a face. "If you know where it is?" They run a tongue over their teeth, apparently in thought. "Think it's on my way back. Could walk you there, if you like?"<</if>> <<if ($kind > $rude)>>"If it isn't too much bother," you begin, interrupted by the violent shaking of their head. Just as suddenly, they set off, leaving no room for argument. You were coming with them.<<else>>You nod brusquely, relieved that you wouldn't have to wander the streets like a stray cat. They don't wait for anymore confirmation: instead, they instantly set off down a winding path. You were coming with them.<</if>> ''[[next|minmeet1]]'' <<set $optiona to false>><<set $optionb to false>><<set $optionc to false>><<set $optiond to false>><<set $optione to false>><<set $optionf to false>><<set $timespend to 0>><<set $minmet to true>>

<<if $wendymet is true>> <<if $timespend is 3>>''[[You can see the Olympic village.|minmeetend]]''<<else>> <<if $optiona is false>>''[["Sorry, who are you?"]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">''"Sorry, who are you?"''</span><</if>> <<if $optionb is false>>''[["Are you from around here?"]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">''"Are you from around here?"''</span><</if>> <<if $optionc is false>>''[["Do you not recognise me?"]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">''"Do you not recognise me?"''</span><</if>> <<if $optiond is false>>''[["Where are you headed?"]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">''"Where are you headed?"''</span><</if>> <<if $optione is false>>''[["Do you want to know anything about me?"]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">''"Do you want to know anything about me?"''</span><</if>><</if>> <<else>> <<if $timespend is 3>>''[[You can make out a cafe in the distance.|minmeetend]]''<<else>> <<if $optiona is false>>''[["Sorry, who are you?"]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">''"Sorry, who are you?"''</span><</if>> <<if $optionb is false>>''[["Are you from around here?"]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">''"Are you from around here?"''</span><</if>> <<if $optionc is false>>''[["Do you not recognise me?"]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">''"Do you not recognise me?"''</span><</if>> <<if $optiond is false>>''[["Where are you headed?"]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">''"Where are you headed?"''</span><</if>> <<if $optione is false>>''[["Do you want to know anything about me?"]]''<<else>><span class="greyedout">''"Do you want to know anything about me?"''</span><</if>><</if>><</if>>

<<set $optiona to true>><<set $timespend to $timespend + 1>>They stare blankly at you for a few, long seconds. Then, realisation dawns on their face. "My God, can't believe I forgot to even introduce myself. You've been following a complete stranger down the roads." They furrow their brows at their last few words, before shaking off their short lived confusion. "I'm Min, they/them," they say, turning to face you and walking backwards for a few steps. "My fun fact is that I play in a band. Crying Lightning." There was something strangely endearing in the way they felt obligated to give you a fun fact about themselves.<<if $minhear is true>><<set $min to $min + 4>> Funnily enough, it's that very fun fact that causes a neuron in your brain to click. Crying Lightning was the band you'd listened to for the very first time on that day at home so long ago. Quite a coincidence that the lead singer of the same band was now standing in front of you. <<if ($minromance is 1)>> (And maybe, just because you find them //pretty// attractive, you're considering the fact that you're soulmates. Just maybe.)<</if>> "I've heard of you," you offer up. They immediately brighten, gestures growing more animated. "Wait, seriously? I mean, I knew we were kind of big but not //that// big. For people from Britain to have heard of us? You're British, right? Assumed from the accent." A seemingly endless barrage of words fell from their mouth, tied together by an underlying melody. It's a strange contrast to how calm they were before. Their music, clearly, is something they're deeply passionate about. They talk for a half a minute longer before tapering off.<<else>> Their band wasn't one you've heard of, and you make a mental note to check it out later. No harm, right? There's only so many $genre songs you can listen to anyway. "I'll check it out," you offer up, half out of courtesy. This doesn't seem to phase them. They immediately brighten up, gestures growing animated. "Seriously? That's so nice of you! I mean, no bias or anything, but I'd say we're pretty decent. Good, even. Might not be your genre, though. Pop rock suit you?" Min seemingly has endless things to talk about, judging by the onslaught of words that come out of their mouth. It's a stark contrast to how cool they seemed before: their music clearly was a topic close to their heart. They talk for half a minute longer before tapering off.<</if>> "That's enough about me, though. What about you?" Min cocks their head, eyes intently locked onto you. It doesn't seem to be a question asked only out of politeness - they seem to wholeheartedly want to know more about you. You entertain them for a few minutes, covering the basics of your life. You're here for the Olympics, you live in London, your favourite cereal is $cereal. All the important things. ''[[next|minmeet1]]''

<<set $optionb to true>><<set $timespend to $timespend + 1>>"Born and raised," they say, smiling slightly. "Can't imagine living anywhere else, honestly." There's a quiet affection to their tone, one that only people who truly love where they live have. Min gestures around at the buildings. Something you've picked up on is how no two are exactly the same. Different shades of pink, different doors, different window styles. Each one had its own distinct character. "There's really something for everyone. Can show you some time. I have a few personal favourite spots." It's a generous request to make to someone they've just met, but from what you can tell it's fully genuine. A suggestion made out of only good intentions - how long had it been since you came across one of those? <hr \>''[[Ask if it's a date. ♡|wherelive1][$convooption to 1]] [[That sounds nice. Take them up on it.|wherelive1][$convooption to 2]] [[It sounds like a date. You're not pointing that out, though. ♡|wherelive1][$convooption to 3]] [[Stay noncomittal.|wherelive1][$convooption to 4]] [[You don't want to, but you're not going to tell them that.|wherelive1][$convooption to 5]] [[You don't want to. You tell them so.|wherelive1][$convooption to 6]]''

<<if $convooption is 1>><<set $minromance to $minromance + 1>><<set $min to $min + 2>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" +2>><<set $minshowaround to "yes">>"So it's a date then?" you ask, faux casual. A shocked laugh leaves them, and they steal a glance at you. "A date, hm? Don't remember calling it that. Might be able to make room in my schedule." <<if ($serious > $humorous)>>You lightly shake your head, glaring at them lightheartedly. Min only holds their hands up in response. <<else>>You jokingly flutter your lashes at Min, holding their gaze simperingly. This only makes them crack up harder.<</if>> "I'm a busy person," they tease, mock stroking their chin. "Think I can squeeze you in though." Something in their tone tells you that even if their days were packed they'd find a way to make room for you. <<if $alexfeelings is "crush">>A sudden rush of guilt fills you as you remember Alex. Sure, $ahe's not here to see it. $Ahe probably wouldn't even care. But it's the principle. <<if $alexfakedate is true>>The fact that to the public you're dating only makes it worse.<</if>><<elseif $jamiefeelings is "crush">>Your mind suddenly strays to a certain reporter, and you curse internally. Jamie. You like Jamie, more than you should. Yet here you are, flirting with a person you just met. Nothing can be simple, can it?<<else>>It's been a while since you've gotten to mess around with someone like this<<if $lsituation is true>> (and no, you're not counting whatever the fuck happened on the plane with $lname)<</if>>. Simple, lighthearted flirting, with no strings attached. It's fun.<</if>><<elseif $convooption is 2>><<set $min to $min + 2>><<set $minshowaround to "yes">>"Sounds good," you tell them, and the way they perk up is unmissable. They almost remind you of a dog. If they had a tail, it would definitely be wagging. "Cool! There's loads of cool things around here that the tourist websites don't tell you." They wave a hand dismissively, unable to hide their slight disgust. "They actually suck. I'll show you the //real// Kathmandu." They seem to have a lot of choice words on said tourist websites. None of them nice.<<elseif $convooption is 3>><<set $minromance to $minromance + 1>><<set $min to $min + 1>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" -2>><<set $minshowaround to "yes">>You feel the familiar rush of blood to your cheeks, and you curse your bodily response. <<if $alexfeelings is "crush">>It's all too similar to how you feel around Alex. Part of you feels guilty at that. <<if $alexfakedate is true>>The guilt only worsens when you remember to the public you're //dating// the $aman. You seriously need to reconsider a few thousand of your decisions.<</if>><<elseif $jamiefeelings is "crush">>It's all too close to how Jamie makes you feel, and you curse internally. The last thing you need before the biggest competition of your life is you own (potentially imaginary, thinking realistically) love triangle.<<else>>It's been a while since you've really had that response to anyone. In some strange way, it's fun. Like being a lovesick teenager again.<</if>> "Yeah," you say, fighting to keep a neutral face. "Sounds fun." "Cool! There's loads of cool things around here that the tourist websites don't tell you." They wave a hand dismissively, a small smirk on their face. "They actually suck. I'll show you the //real// Kathmandu." They thankfully seem oblivious to your telltale burning cheeks. You think. <<elseif $convooption is 4>><<fair_plus "$professional" +2>><<set $minshowaround to "maybe">>You're not saying you don't want to, per se. It's not like you dislike Min or anything. You're just being realistic. You're a pretty busy person - and only getting busier. No point in giving them false hope. "Maybe," you dodge, <<if ($kind > $rude)>>lessening the blow of rejection with a smile.<<else>>not bothering to lighten the blow.<</if>> Their smile fades slightly. "You're probably busy with the whole Olympics thing, I get it. I don't mind. " You nod, thankful that they aren't throwing a fit or anything. They don't seem like the type, but then again you've only known them for a grand total of ten ish minutes. You're not exactly going to have the best grasp on their character. <<elseif $convooption is 5>><<fair_plus "$kind" +2>><<set $minshowaround to "no">>You've only just met them, and you don't particularly feel like taking the risk of wandering around a city you don't know with someone who's practically a stranger. Those stranger danger lessons in school weren't wasted on you. Then again, there's no need to tell them that - it's not exactly the nicest thing in the world. <<if ($kind > $rude)>>And if there's one thing you are, it's nice.<<else>>You've never been one to care about niceness, but hey. Best to make a good first impression.<</if>> Min seems to read this on your face. "Hey, it's fine if you don't want to. We're practically strangers - makes sense." At least you didn't have to say it yourself. You nod, and an awkward silence falls over the two of you for a few, long seconds. <<else>><<set $min to $min - 2>><<fair_plus "$kind" -2>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" +2>>You've only just met them, and you don't particularly feel like taking the risk of wandering around a city you don't know with someone who's practically a stranger. Those stranger danger lessons in school weren't wasted on you. Plus, you're busy, what with competing in the Olympics and all. <<if ($reserved > $outgoing)>>Normally, you wouldn't tell someone all this to their face. Social etiquette and all. But you feel as though it's important to be clear here. <<else>>You've always been the type to say what you think. No point in hiding the truth - even if that's what is socially acceptable when the truth isn't the kindest.<</if>> <<if ($kind > $rude)>>"Sorry," you start, smiling in an attempt to lessen the blow of rejection. "Don't think I'll be able to. I'm pretty busy for the time I'm here."<<else>>"No," you say bluntly. "I'm pretty busy whilst I'm here."<</if>> Min shrugs, although their feigned nonchalance is given away by their fading smile. "Fair. We've only just met, anyway." The next few seconds are spend in awkward, tense silence.<</if>> ''[[next|minmeet1]]''

<span class="bigsize">//$surname's Olympic Debut: Unforgettable or Plain Traumatic?//</span> //by Andy Stoneman// Well, we'd all be lying if we didn't admit that this is what we've been waiting for. After what some critics have been calling "far too long", $name $surname, also known as "the phoenix", has finally hit the Olympic stage (quite literally, considering the sport). $He <<if $pc_singular is true>>isn't<<else>>aren't<</if>> the only big name; not with other athletes such as $lname Louissant gracing the 3,000 year old games with $lhis presence. However, $he <<if $pc_singular is true>>is<<else>>are<</if>> the most interesting by miles. Why, I hear you ask? Well, why not? I only mess with you, dear reader. Jokes aside though, if you don't find $name fascinating, where have you been? No average person can amass over 15 million followers in a sport that only recently hit the public eye. If $his $persona personality hasn't captured your attention, I fear that nothing can.<<if $likereply is true>> Speaking of attention, much of it has been drawn to the controversial tweet the athlete liked around a week ago. The post, by user @goldmedalanne, reads "So now we’re jumping to assumptions? $name is more than just $his mothers…." And none other than the very mentioned athlete liked it. With it being well known that $his twitter account is run by $himself, it's impossible not to wonder what $he really meant by it? Was it a dig at $his mothers? A moment of frustration, perhaps, at the situation both Melissa and Alice had placed $name in. <<if ($mfeelings is "hate") or ($mfeelings is "dislike")>>There have always been rumours that $his relationship with $his mothers is on tenterhooks - is this merely a symptom of that?<<else>>There's hasn't been any noticeable tension in their mother-$child relationship, but things can always change. After all, the public don't see everything.<</if>> Just as likely, however, it may just be an innocent like, showing support to one of $his many fans. With no comment from $him or $his team, we may never know the true reason. <</if>><<if $instagrampost is true>> On another note, the athlete finally graced us with another collection of photos on Instagram today. And thank God they did: I'm no expert on social media, but even I can tell when an account has been inactive for too long. <<if $instagramposttype is "selfie">><<if (($persona is "authentic") and ($arrogant > $humble)) or ($persona is "rude")>>Unsurprisingly, it's a picture of $his favourite thing: $himself. What else could we expect? Although, reader, you may agree with me when I say that if you looked that good you'd only post yourself as well.<<else>>Surprisingly, the pictures only feature $himself. Shocking, most definitely, but not an unpleasant surprise. With a face card like $his, it would be ridiculous not to put it to good use.<</if>> I could describe how good the photos are here, at risk of sounding as though I'm in love with $him. However, I think the likes on the photo speak for themselves: over 50,000 in just a few hours. With numbers like that, it wouldn't be a surprise if we see a few more celebrities follow suit with $name's slightly arrogant style of posting. A natural trendsetter, even unintentionally.<<elseif $instagramposttype is "view">>Although, for some reason, $he decided to channel the likes of David Attenborough. Their latest post just features a variety of views. Admittedly, they're all gorgeous. But the only view people really want is of $his face and style: something which other celebrities provide in bucket fulls. Careful, $name - you don't want to lose the public's attention now, do you? In fact, it's already dwindling. The post only amassed 10,000 likes in the few hours. For anyone else it would be respectable. For a celebrity like $name? It's dipping into the realm of worrying.<<elseif $instagramposttype is "silly">><<if (($persona is "authentic") and ($humorous > $serious)) or ($persona is "funny")>>In keeping with $his more jovial nature, the pictures are nothing short of funny. It seemingly features $him after a night out: at least, that's what I can glean judging by the faces $he <<if $pc_singular is true>>is<<else>>are<</if>> pulling in some of them. We can always count on $name to pull a laugh out of us.<<else>>And it's most definitely not what you'd expect from $him. It's a more jovial post, featuring $him in some pretty... interesting poses. My personal favourite has to be the one on the third slide. You wouldn't be alone if you didn't know the human face could even move like that.<</if>> The uncommon approach seems to have worked, though. $name garnered over 60,000 likes in a few hours. What I reported last week is coming into action: the public are itching to see a more casual side of these athletes.<<else>>It's a post fitting of an athelete as popular as $he <<if $pc_singular is true>>is<<else>>are<</if>>. By that, I mean a professional photoshoot. <<if $persona is "funny">>It perfectly shows $his funny side, something $he <<if $pc_singular is true>>is<<else>>are<</if>> well known for. If only we knew what on earth was so funny for $him to be laughing that hard.<<elseif $persona is "outgoing">>It toes the line between childish and lighthearted. Points for subverting expectations: not many people expect black belts to be playing with inflatable balls in their spare time.<<elseif $persona is "rude">>Unsurprisingly, the photos heavily feature $name's successes, with $him carrying a recently won trophy. Wouldn't be surprising if $he insisted on carrying that around everywhere with them.<<elseif $persona is "aloof">>The pictures scream model: that, or someone taking headshots for their passport. Whether it's boring or modern is up for interpretation.<<elseif $persona is "humble">>In typical "I'm a humble athlete, just like you" fashion, there's a picture of $him playing with a kid. If I had a pound for every time I saw one of those, I certainly wouldn't be writing this article right now.<<else>>The props seem to have been brought in by $name, judging by the wear and tear on some of them. $He <<if $pc_singular is true>>is<<else>>are<</if>> rocking their usual $style style. It suits $him, undoubtedly, but variety is the spice of life.<</if>> The post performed as expected, garnering around 40,000 likes in a few hours. Although, as I wrote last week, people seem to be wanting a more casual side to be shown by the athletes. Perhaps $name should try get on the trend early?<</if>><</if>><<if ($instagrampost is false) and ($likereply is false)>> Perhaps we should send a virtual search party out, because $name's accounts are as dry as the Sahara desert. Did $he forget the login or something? It only takes one click to get another password. On a more serious note, $name's decreasing appearances on social media are slightly worrying. In an increasingly digital world, it's more important than ever to stay active, for fear of losing the public's increasingly short attention. And we can already see the impact this has had: $he <<if $pc_singular is true>>has<<else>>have<</if>> lost 10,000 followers over the last month. Something has to be done before it's too late. Don't say I didn't warn you!<</if>> Moving away from social media, and towards a more tangible concept: fashion. Or perhaps, the lack of it. <<if $goodfashion is true>>Not in $name's case, of course. $He stunned the crowd of reporters with $his formal style. It spoke quietly of both good taste and quality: perfect for a first press conference on the biggest sports stage of the world. And it's not just my opinion: the pieces worn by $him sold out on all websites in a few hours after the livestream. $lname better watch out - a new fashionista is on the block, and $he <<if $pc_singular is true>>isn't<<else>>aren't<</if>> messing around.<<else>>The latter is true in $name's case. I'm not claiming to be a fashion expert, but $his outfit just didn't match the serious atmosphere of a press conference. <<if ($style is "business casual") or ($style is "business formal")>>Especially confusing, considering how formal $his typical style is. What made $him change it is one of life's biggest mysteries. This can all be boiled down to one statement: put the blazer back on.<<else>>Sticking with $his usual style can work sometimes, but put some effort in for an occasion this big. Or at the bare minimum, throw on a blazer and slacks. You don't even need to iron them.<</if>> <</if>> And the styling wasn't the only thing that interested us. No, that honour goes to the press conference. <<if $alexfakedate is true>>And the moment that has everyone talking: the dating announcement none of us expected. It's something that would fit into a romance novel: the athlete and $his coach falling head over heels for each other. Well, we here at the Beacon Times wish the couple nothing but the best for the future (although the worst //would// provide a better read.)<<elseif $afdcheck is "truth">>Some interesting questions asked, including one about $name's potential romantic entanglements. Sadly, that well came up dry. You're still in with a shot!<<elseif $afdcheck is "lie">>Mostly the rather confusing aftermath. The coach/athlete relationship was confirmed and denied in one 24 hour cycle, and it has left the majority of people... confused, to say the least. Both on if the relationship is real and, if it isn't, why $name would lie about it.<<elseif $alexdefend is false>>The most interesting moment in many's eyes is $name's lack of defence for $his coach. Could it just be an attempt at diplomacy? Or is it a hint at yet another coach/athlete relationship collapse? With the first Olympic match drawing closer, a breakdown now could be costly.<<elseif $alexdefend is true>>$name was quick to come to $his coach's defence, shutting down any implication that Alex's lacking in that department. A truly heartwarming moment for all, although the authenticity of it is questionable. Was it genuine or just for good press?<</if>> So, to answer the question in the title. Unforgettably iconic, or plain old traumatising? Rather unsatisfyingly, only time can tell. We've still got another month left of this competition. Absolutely anything could happen. It's all up to $name's choices: will they throw away $his chance, or live up to $his full expectations? All I know for certain is one, simple thing. ''[[Our dear phoenix is one to watch.|placeholder1]]''

After Lea and Alex left, there was nothing else to really do. So you did the most sensible thing. Sleep. The press conferences must have tired you out more than you thought, because by the next time you opened your eyes it was already one in the afternoon. After going through the motions of your daily routine and grabbing a quick breakfast, it was nearing closer to three. So much for a productive day. Now, you're staring down at the latest text from Lea. The last one was just her screaming about the latest TV show she had watched. Something about one sided romance? <<if ($jamiefeelings is "crush" and $alexfeelings is "crush")>>You shake the images of Alex and Jamie out of your head. It's almost comical how you're two for two on unattainable crushes.<<elseif ($alexfakedate is true)>>It makes you remember about how you're currently //dating// your unattainable coach. You sigh loudly, the cruelty of your situation hitting you once again. But now's not the time to be melancholic. That's for the evening.<<elseif $alexfeelings is "crush">>An image of Alex pops up in your head, and you quickly shake it away. You can reflect on your poor romantic choices later.<<elseif ($alexromance > 1)>>An image of Alex pops in your head, and a wave of confusion hits you. Now's not the time to reflect on your potential crush on your coach: that can wait until the evening.<<elseif $jamiefeelings is "crush">>An image of Jamie pops up in your head, and you quickly shake it away. You can reflect on your poor romantic choices later (extremely poor, now you think about it).<<elseif ($jamieromance > 1)>>An image of Jamie pops in your head, and a wave of confusion<<if $jamiefeelings is "hate">>and nausea <</if>>hits you. Now's not the time to reflect on your potential crush on your reporter slash stalker: that can wait until the evening.<<else>>You might give it a try later. It's a pretty popular one - she had been bugging you to watch it with her for a while. After the whole Olympic thing, though. That probably takes precedence.<</if>> <strong>Lea</strong> //You're meeting your new best friend at 4pm. Don't be late. And don't replace me.// New best friend. Your fingers hover over the board as you consider how to reply. <div id="leatextresponse"> <strong><<link "//finally. i've been needing to replace you.//">></strong><<replace "#leatextresponse">><<fair_plus "$serious" -4>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" +2>> <strong>You</strong> //finally. i've been needing to replace you.// Lea's response back is almost immediate. <strong>Lea</strong> //you're a dickhead. makout's Cafe, by 4 pm or else.// You half want to tease her more, but the more logical side of you knows you should get ready. You don't particularly want to find out what Lea's else entails. The last time you teased her to that point, it ended up with you standing in the rain with a box of chocolates at her door. ''[[next|leftorright]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "//lea please i hate meeting people why//">></strong><<replace "#leatextresponse">><<fair_plus "$outgoing" -2>> <strong>You</strong> //lea please i hate meeting people why// You don't even bother capitalising in your panic. Why couldn't you have a normal manager, who just made you do an interview every so often then leave it at that? Lea's response back is almost immediate. <strong>Lea</strong> <<if ($outgoing > $reserved)>>//$name, we both know you're a social butterfly. Makout's Cafe, by 4 pm or else.//<<else>>//Sorry $name, but needs must. Makout's Cafe, by 4 pm or else.//<</if>> You half want to argue against it, but the more logical side of you knows you should get ready. You don't particularly want to find out what Lea's else entails. Last time, it involved puppy dog eyes and guilt tripping messages for the whole month. ''[[next|leftorright]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "//No.//">></strong><<replace "#leatextresponse">><<fair_plus "$serious" +2>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" -2>> <strong>You</strong> //No.// You put your phone back down face first, hoping that she'll just leave it at that. Instead, the buzzing phone your sound makes is only amplified. You groan as you pick it up and read her reply. <strong>Lea</strong> //Yes. Makout's Cafe, by 4 pm or else.// You half want to continue this back and forth, but the more logical side of you knows you should get ready. You don't particularly want to find out what Lea's else entails - even if you don't want to go. ''[[next|leftorright]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "//Sure. Where do I need to go?//">></strong><<replace "#leatextresponse">><<fair_plus "$serious" +4>><<fair_plus "$professional" +2>> <strong>You</strong> //Sure. Where do I need to go?// Lea's response back is almost immediate. <strong>Lea</strong> //Thank god you're not arguing back. Makout's Cafe, by 4 pm.// <<if ($casual > $professional)>>Lea should be grateful you aren't arguing back. You've decided to be a good professional athlete today, a real rare moment. She might need to take a screenshot and frame it.<<else>>You don't particularly know why Lea seems surprised. You've always made a point to be professional. There's no real point in arguing back - she's probably organised it because it benefits you.<</if>> ''[[next|leftorright]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "//ok.//">></strong><<replace "#leatextresponse">><<fair_plus "$serious" -4>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" +2>> <strong>You</strong> //ok.// Lea's response back is almost immediate. <strong>Lea</strong> //Makout's Cafe, by 4 pm.// Well, guess that's the rest of your day sorted. ''[[next|leftorright]]''<</replace>><</link>> <strong><<link "Don't respond">></strong><<replace "#leatextresponse">><<fair_plus "$serious" -4>><<fair_plus "$outgoing" +2>> Maybe if you say nothing you won't have to do it. That's how things work, right? Despite your lack of response (and enthusiasm), Lea's next text is almost immediate. <strong>Lea</strong> //I know you saw my text, $name. makout's Cafe, by 4 pm or else.// You half want to see how long you can go without responding to her, but the more logical side of you knows you should get ready. You don't particularly want to find out what Lea's else entails. The last time you ignored her it ended up with you standing in the rain with a box of chocolates at her foor. ''[[next|leftorright]]''<</replace>></div><</link>>

<<if $goodfashion is false>><<if ($publicrp < 50)>>@olympicluvr: ugly outfit boring person let's move on<<else>>@olympicluvr: choices were made with $name’s fashion today!<</if>><<else>>@invadoc: ok…. $name’s outfit is literally a must have<</if>><<if ($personastrength < 8)>> @artlight: i’d say $surname ate but lying isn’t something i do<</if>><<if (($persona is "authentic") and ($rude > $kind)) or ($persona is "rude")>> @olympgo: $name’s such a dickhead why do you guys like $him<</if>><<if ($persona is "outgoing") or (($persona is "authentic") and ($outgoing > $reserved))>> @tkdlife: if i have to see $name’s fake cheerful ass again i’m turning the screen off<</if>><<if ($persona is "authentic")>> @louissantslover: $name’s authentic but i’d rather $he lied honestly like idc about you<</if>><<if ($alexfakedate is true)>> @olympic202X: call me delusional but i actually think $name and alex are one of the few celebrity couples that’ll get married SUE ME<</if>><<if ($publicrp < 50)>> @exiolink: well uh. the anyone else sick of $name<<else>> @0lympicgold: ok so we're all in agreement we love $name right<</if>><<if ($persona is "humble") or (($persona is "authentic") and ($humble > $arrogant))>> @blackbeltalia: actually i think $name is the perfect example of how an athlete should be<</if>><<if (($persona is "authentic" ) and ($person is not "man"))>> @sweetalias: the question $name got just shows how bad sport still is when it comes to gender… get that reporter fired i’m being dead serious<</if>><<if ($afdcheck is "truth")>> @defendingolympians: society if people stopped asking $name about $his love life it's none of our business.<<elseif ($alexdefend is false)>> @ontopofit: $name not even defending their own coach is a bit weird… like show some respect<<else>> @tkdssister: $name defending their own coach is why you all should love them because some of your faves would NEVER<</if>><<if ($persona is "funny") or (($persona is "authentic") and ($humorous > $serious))>> @igotsilver: god $name’s jokes are awful please just tape $his mouth shut<</if>> @olympicheart: i’m going to die i hate school ↳@thephoenixeslove: wait til $name wins the olympics we need to trend <3 @loussiantbbg: BREAKING: $name $surname and Wendy Morgan spotted out and about in cafes! What are your thoughts on this new duo? ↳@wendysdarling: fuck $name that should be me hey wendy ↳@steve058305: Nobody cares, what happened to actual news? ↳@streamforever: IT FRIENDSHIP I’M TELLING YOU<<if ($afdcheck is "lie")>> @gossipgirlxo: ... so are $name and $his coach dating or what?<</if>> @stormchasedan: saw min on the street today but was too scared to say hi :( they were walking with someone though!! ↳@cryingmin: should’ve stopped to say hi, i really love meeting you guys! :D ↳@cryinglights: min getting bitches arc? @cryinglightningband: HEY! We’re playing at The Alpineterris in a week's time :) Would love to see you guys there, maybe we’ll play some new material…. <<if ($wendy < 50)>> @MorganLuvr: saw wendy through the window of the cafe and when i tell you she looked like she was having a horrible time i mean it<<else>>@placeholder: guys!! i saw wendy and they actually looked like they were having a great time (from what i could tell anyway lol)<</if>><<if $persona is "rude">> @platinump1es: anyone else think it’s kind of weird to ask $name about their scandals or…. ↳@empir3slove: $he brought it on $himself if you’re going to be mean face the backlash!<</if>><<if ($instagrampost is true)>> @Tkd.Updates: WAR IS OVER $name actually posted again! <<if ($instagramposttype is "silly")>><<if ($publicrp < 50)>>↳@antiolympian: trying so hard to be relatable we don't care<<else>>↳@antiolympian: we need more celebrities like $him! bring back goofiness<</if>><<elseif ($instagramposttype is "selfie")>><<if ($publicrp < 50)>>↳@antiolympian: so vain just posting $his face... ew<<else>>↳@antiolympian: face card never declines omfg...<</if>><<elseif ($instagramposttype is "view")>><<if ($publicrp < 50)>>↳@antiolympian: view just as boring as $him to be honest<<else>>↳@antiolympian: posting a view that's so adorable actually<</if>><<else>><<if ($publicrp < 50)>>↳@antiolympian: BORING. let's move on from photoshoots<<else>>↳@antiolympian: can't get over how good $he looked why did $he gatekeep these from us<</if>><</if>> <<else>> @Tkd.Updates: Can someone please check that $name remembers $his login? <<if ($publicrp < 50)>>↳@antiolympian: no please i don't want to see $his face again lmao<<else>>↳@antiolympian: $name come home the kids miss you i beg<</if>><</if>> ''[[Well.|placeholder1]]''

<<set $optiona to true>><<set $timespend to $timespend + 1>>Her stare causes you to fluster slightly, grappling for words that are just out of your reach. They’re right. That’s the worst bit of it all - there’s no way you could even begin to play it off like a decent question. <<if ($reserved > $outgoing)>>You’ve never been the best when it comes to talking with other people, but this is seriously a new low.<<else>>Your social skills weren’t something you ever doubted. Not before now, anyway.<</if>> It feels as though the whole cafe goes silent as you try and save face. <<if ($humorous > $serious)>>”A bad one,” you jest, attempting to lighten the mood. It seems to vaguely work, considering the huff of amusement they let out.<<else>>”Sorry,” you say, biting the inside of your cheek. “Didn’t know what else to ask.” Your apology only causes her to let out a huff of amusement.<</if>> “I like dark blue, if you need to know,” she begins, crossing her arms. “No more useless questions like that though. I won’t answer any more.” That shuts down the possibility for any more small talk, you suppose. At least you learnt something new. ''[[next|wendymeet1]]''

<<set $optionb to true>><<set $timespend to $timespend + 1>>You two were at a cafe, after all, and it felt right that you’d order her something. It just happened to be an added bonus that you happened to know their favourite pastry. <<if ($kind > $rude)>>It’ll probably be the nicest thing you do all week.<<else>>It’s always worth it to make someone else’s day.<</if>> As you call over the waiter and order, Wendy’s face finally changes from one of cool indifference. Instead, the emotion on it is clear as day - shock. It's the most intense emotion you've seen on her yet. They wait until the waiter leaves to speak again. “How’d you know?” You smile, amused at the slight panic underlying her tone. “You mentioned it in a video once. Watched it a few weeks ago.” They hum in acknowledgment, muscles loosening. Although the shock has left her, it’s soon replaced by another peculiar emotion. Confusion. “Why?” she asks, blinking a few times. “Why’d you get me that? Do you want something in return?” It’s an oddly defensive question. There’s a hint of worry to her voice, an emotion that starkly contrasts the cool persona they typically project. <hr \>''[["Because you're gorgeous." ♡|croissant1][$convooption to 1]] [["No?"|croissant1][$convooption to 2]] [[Joke with her. "Yeah, duh."|croissant1][$convooption to 3]] [[You may have (secret) ulterior motives.|croissant1][$convooption to 4]] [[You may have (romantic) ulterior motives. ♡|croissant1][$convooption to 5]]''

<<set $optionc to true>><<set $timespend to $timespend + 1>>They only raise a questioning brow, and you hastily amend the question. “I mean, you clearly don’t need the publicity. If anything, being seen with me could ruin your reputation in some people’s eyes,” you explain. She doesn’t seem particularly happy, but doesn’t motion for you to stop. “So what’s in it for you?” The laugh she lets out is shallow, unamused. “You want the truth?” <<if ($kind > $rude)>>It feels like that should go without saying. Despite this, you politely nod anyway.<<else>>It’s such a redundant statement you can’t stop yourself from rolling your eyes. “Preferably, yes.” She doesn’t acknowledge your snark. Instead, they lean back in their chair, gazing cooly at you.<</if>> “You caught my attention.” Her words are unexpected, and your brows unconsciously furrow. It doesn’t seem like it’s easy to catch Wendy’s eye, <<if $wendyhear is true>>judging by the millions of her fans who try and fail every day.<<else>>from what you've gathered in the few minutes of knowing her.<</if>> Yet you’ve somehow done it. You don’t speak, but you get the impression that they know exactly what kind of questions they’ve put in your head. She doesn’t look as though she wants to explain herself either. You get the feeling that this certain question is something you’ll never get a real answer to. ''[[next|wendymeet1]]''

<<set $timespend to $timespend + 1>><<set $optiond to true>>Her name was familiar, but you couldn’t exactly place where from. They weren’t an athlete, and they also didn’t seem like a singer or an actor. Your attempts at identifying her were all, rather embarassingly, failing. They look at you, and for a moment it hits you that this isn’t just a passing gaze but an analysis. There was an intimate difference between being seen and being //seen//, and Wendy was clearly talented at the latter. “Vlogger,” she states, a faint note of distaste in her tone. “Social media star, influencer, whatever term you prefer. People have called me all of those.” They don't seem all too enthusiastic about it. <hr \>''[[Ask. "Do you not like it?"|whatdo1][$convooption to 1]] [["Well, you seem to love it." you say.|whatdo1][$convooption to 2]] [["Yeah, but what does that even mean?" You're genuinely confused.|whatdo1][$convooption to 3]] [[She doesn't seem to happy, but you won't point that out.|whatdo1][$convooption to 4]] [["That can't be a real job." ✕:|whatdo1][$convooption to 5]] [[Oh. That's probably why you recognise them.|whatdo1][$convooption to 6]]''

So here you are, walking down the streets of a city you barely know. You're in your usual $style clothes, a black mask covering your face. It doubles as both a disguise and protection from the copious amounts of pollution: a win win. The sky's a brilliant blue, and doesn't feature any of the storm clouds that are synonymous with this time of year here. It's overall a rather pleasant moment. The streets are busy, crowded with life and noise. You survey the scene playing out before you. Groups of children weave between lines of office workers, chatting rapidly with wildly animated gestures. Nobody blinks an eye when two motorcycles crash into each other. On the nearby road, a cow stretches out luxuriously in the middle, forcing motorcycles to swerve around it. It's nothing like you've ever seen before. In your moment of unawareness, your foot catches on a stray brick in the road. A curse escapes you. If you'd have twisted it, Alex would have given you the lecture of a lifetime. You follow the main road for a little while longer, and soon enough, you come to a split in the road. A metaphor for something? Perhaps, if you were feeling particularly deep. Even if it isn't, you have to make a choice and pray that it's the one that leads you to the cafe. It wouldn't be a great start to your time here if you get horribly lost. You couldn't even refer to the map on your phone - you didn't have the right SIM card to access data here. This choice was one you'd have to rely on your potentially nonexistent sense of direction for. ''[[I'll go left.|leftturn]] [[I'll turn right.|rightturn]]''

The walk into the village was mostly uneventful. You can already feel your eyes fluttering shut as you walk back into your room. It's just as <<if $organised is true>>neat<<else>>messy<</if>> as you had left it. You go throught the motions of preparing yourself to sleep, though you're not particularly present in the moment. Your mind is too busy running through everything that had happened over the past two days. <<if ($wendyromance > 1)>>Wendy was an interesting one for sure. They didn't seem entirely aware of your slightly more than friendly feelings about her. You'd see how that turns out soon.<<elseif ($wendy < 50)>>Wendy was a tricky one. You weren't entirely sure you had left a good impression on her, but you'd see. Either way, you have a feeling that this wasn't a one and done matter.<<else>>Wendy was an interesting one. She didn't seem to dislike you, which you take as a real victory. Lea may have been pushing it with //best// friends, but aquaintances seems about right.<</if>> <<if ($minromance > 1)>>And you couldn't forget about meeting Min, not when your cheeks burn whenever you think about them. They were attractive, fun and a singer - basically the whole package.<<elseif ($min < 50)>>And there was Min. They don't seem to be your biggest fan, but that doesn't particularly impact you. A random singer disliking you in a country you don't live in has quite frankly zero effect on your life.<<else>>And there was also Min. They seemed pretty fun when you talked to them, and they seem to like you pretty well. Seeing the sights of the city with them in the future may not be a bad idea.<</if>><<if ($alexfakedate is "true")>> Oh, and how could you forget? You're also now apparently dating your coach. Great.<</if>> You finish cleaning up and make a beeline straight to the bed. The mattress is the softest thing you've ever felt. Before falling back to sleep, though, you grab your phone from off the side table. It's a bad habit, one that has never really served to help you. All it does is stress you out. Almost subconsciously, you end up flicking through your apps, til something catches your eye. It's a news piece with your surname emblazoned on the headline. A quick scan of the byline tells you that this one wasn't by Jamie. Curious, considering that he's got a work ethic second to none and pumps out an article a day. //And// he wasn't at the press conference yesterday. Weird. Should you not want to read that, there's always TopOfIt. That'll probably give you a decent view on how people who aren't stuffy journalists think of you. After all, there are 8 billion odd people on the Earth, and you're willing to bet the majority aren't reporters. <hr \>''[[Check TopOfIt.|tweets]] [[You'll read the article.|pressreport]]''

<<set $timespend to $timespend + 1>><<set $optionf to true>><<set $workout to random(0, 3)>> <<if $workout is 0>>She thinks on your question for a second, before fixing you with a look that could only be described as piercing. Was every conversation with her going to be this intense? "Why'd you agree to this?" <<if $optionc is true>>Touché, you suppose. Throwing your own question back at you pretty effectively.<<else>>That's a heavy question, and you feel at a loss for words.<</if>> You could lie. Gut instinct tells you, however, that Wendy would know immediately. They seem to value honesty - at least, you think so. This meeting has just left you with more questions than answers about her. Besides the point, though. <hr \>''[[Tell the truth.|wendyanswers1][$convooption to 1]] [[Lie.|wendyanswers1][$convooption to 2]]'' <<elseif $workout is 1>>"Do you actually enjoy beating people up for a living?" It's such a bold, straightforward question you can't help the shocked laugh that escapes you. Press conferences would be so much simpler if everyone was this clear. And it would be considerably less stressful. Seriously, they should just hire her as a reporter instead. <hr \>''[[Give a casual answer.|wendyanswers1][$convooption to 1]] [[Seriously answer.|wendyanswers1][$convooption to 2]] [[You feel as though the answer is obvious.|wendyanswers1][$convooption to 3]] [[Get defensive.|wendyanswers1][$convooption to 4]]'' <<elseif $workout is 2>>"What's up with your mothers?"<<if ($humorous > $serious)>> You can't resist the chance to mess around. "Like, how're they doing? Why'd you want to know?" Wendy fixes you with a quietly unimpressed glare, and you shut your mouth. "Sorry. Dumb joke."<<else>>The mood, which was already fairly serious, turns more so. Wendy doesn't know what a massive can of worms she's attempting to pry open. One that should be saved for at least the third meeting.<</if>> They're obviously referring to //that// scandal. <<if ($dfeelings is "why")>>The familiar wave of confusion you feel whenever the situation is brought up hits you once again.<<elseif $dfeelings is "curious">>You wish you could tell her the full story, but even you don't know it. That drives you insane.<<elseif $dfeelings is "disgusted">>You can't help the scowl that crosses your face at the mere thought of it.<<elseif $dfeelings is "unsure">>You suck your teeth. How can you explain this to someone when you don't even know?<<else>>You suck you teeth. How can you explain this to someone when you don't even really know where you stand?<</if>> Wendy narrows her eyes. "I have a feeling this is a situation which can't just be explained in five minutes then." You nod, relieved at her oddly perceptive insight. Seems to be a recurring theme with them. You don't know how she managed to get there, but you are very grateful that they did. The fact that she somehow hasn't even heard of the scandal is another mildly confusing part of this whole confusion, but you're not curious enought to pry. ''[[next.|wendymeet1]]''<<else>>"What cuisine is your favourite?" It's an undescribably random question, and not one you've particularly thought about it.. <<if $optiona is true>>You feel yourself frowning slightly. You thought she was done with the small talk, yet here they are. Asking one of the most small talk questions you've ever heard. If you felt like being argumentative you'd point it out.<<else>>You didn't realise that Wendy was the type of person to do small talk. You'd had her down as the type who thought of it as a redundant and pointless waste of time. You'll play along, though.<</if>> You bite the side of your cheek in thought before speaking. "Well, I'd probably say it's ''<<cycle "$cuisine" autoselect>> <<option Indian>> <<option Thai>> <<option Chinese>> <<option Italian>> <<option Mexican>> <<option French>> <<option Ghanaian>> <<option Nigerian>> <<option Jamaican>> <</cycle>>''." ''[[next.|wendymeet1]]''<</if>>

At another intersection, Min suddenly comes to a stop. <<if $wendymet is false>>"The cafe's just down that road, if you walk straight.<<else>>"The Olympic Village should just be down there, I think. Never been around here before.<</if>> I've got to backtrack a bit to get to practice." You look down at the path, then back at them. It feels as though there's something unfinished between the two of you. <<if ($min <50)>>Min hesitates, before thrusting a card in your hand.<<else>> It's at that moment that Min unexpectedly thrusts a small card into your hand, smiling widely.<</if>> It's pretty well designed - clearly done by a professional. It features a black and red colour scheme, reminiscent of a rock band. <<if ($optiona is true)>>Makes sense considering what you know of the band.<</if>> "It's the band's business card, but it's my number on the back," they explain, flipping the paper card over to show you. <<if ($minshowaround is "yes")>>"So text me when you're free and I'll show you around here."<<elseif ($minshowaround is "maybe")>>"In case you ever become more certain about me showing you around."<<else>>"Just in case you maybe change your mind about me showing you around."<</if>> You nod, tucking the card into a spare pocket. Min offers you a broad smile as they start walking backwards, waving all the way. Suddenly, thought seems to strike them halfway through their retreat. "Enjoy watching whatever sport you like!" It's only after you walk off do you realise the implication of their statement. They don't know you're not just watching. You're also //competing//. <<if $wendymet is true>>''[[Well, that'll be interesting.|backinroom]]''<<else>>''[[Well, that'll be interesting.|leftturn]]''<</if>>

<<set $optione to true>><<set $timespend to $timespend + 1>><<set $workout to random(0, 3)>>They scrunch their face up in thought before speaking. <<if $workout is 0>>"Favourite genre of music?" You should've predicted a music based question from them. It seems, from what you've got off of ten minutes of conversation, an integral part of both their life and personality. "It's $genre," you say. <<if $genre is "rock">><<set $min to $min + 2>>They brighten immediately. "Hey, me too! Who's your favourite? Personally, I adore Falling Off The Benches of Hell. They were game changers. Wish they'd come back for a reunion concert. I'd die." You two talk about the genre for a bit, although it's clear Min's expertise is as deep as the ocean. They've got a hundred different facts for anything you say.<<elseif $genre is "metal">> "Cool," they say, tone genuine. "Always wanted to get into metal, my bass guitarist adores it. Always says we should branch out into it. Don't know where to start, though. Any recommendations?" You talk for a bit on your favourite artists, although you begin to feel out of depth with the questions Min asks. No, you don't know what two events from the late century inspired their song titles. It's quite amusing that they expect you to.<<else>>They scrunch their nose further, thinking. "Not really my thing I don't think, but I'm open to trying it out. Who'd you recommend?" You talk for a bit on your favourite artists, although Min's questions begin reaching the ends of your knowledge. Luckily, they spare you from showing your embarassing lack of knowledge, promising to give your recommendations a listen.<</if>> ''[[next|minmeet1]]''<<elseif $workout is 1>>"What would you take if you're stuck on a desert island? Only one item allowed." You blink once, twice. Part of you expected a more normal question, like "What's your favourite movie?" or "What's your favourite season?". Another part of you adores the absolute insanity of asking this question to a near total stranger. "Well, I'd probably take <<textbox "$misc" "">> ''[[next.|minanswers]]'' <<elseif $workout is 2>>"Let's say, entirely hypothetically, your friend was getting into a terrible relationship with some woman who literally left them out in the rain on a Thursday evening after scheduling a date. What would you do? Hypothetically, of course." You stare at them. "That's oddly specific." They only shrug in response. <hr \>''[[They need some tough love.|minanswers][$convooption to 1]] [[Warn them nicely.|minanswers][$convooption to 2]] [[Not my business.|minanswers][$convooption to 3]] [[Don't tell them directly, but hint at it.|minanswers][$convooption to 4]] <<else>>"Tongues for fingers or a finger for a tongue?" You can't help but blurt out the first thought in your head. "What the fuck kind of question is that?" "A good one," they immediately respond, grinning. "Tells me a lot about you, actually. Answer up." <hr \><<if $asexual is true>>''[[Tongues for fingers.|minanswers][$convooption to 3]]''<<else>>''[[Tongues for fingers.|minanswers][$convooption to 2]]''<</if>> ''[[Finger for a tongue.|minanswers][$convooption to 1]]'' ''[[You're not answering this question.|minanswers][$convooption to 4]]<</if>>

<<set $optiond to true>><<set $timespend to $timespend + 1>><<set $ringknow to true>>"Down to band practice," they hum, kicking a stray stone onto the road. "We've got a performance coming up. We want to try some new material out. I think it'll go down well, but the rest of them aren't as convinced." The world of musicians is so far removed from your own. A flicker of curiosity burns up in you, wondering about what exactly they do over on that side. "What'd you do in practice?" "Play the same five things over and over again," they answer dryly. "It's less exciting than most people think, honestly. More about base technique than anything. Our drummer keeps trying to drill that into us." Despite the complaint, their words seem more affectionate than annoyed. And it's not all too different to what you do in practice. The same few punches and kicks, infinitely, until expertise. Funny, that. How two careers can be so far apart yet so similar. You click your tongue, drawing their attention again. "Your drummer sounds like fun." Min smiles, the affection returning to their expression. "She's a bit of a mother, but she can be fun as well. Speaking of, there was one time she had a wedding ring thrown at her." You let out a spluttered laugh. You'd heard of bras being thrown, but wedding rings? Those are //costly//. Your reaction makes Min laugh, and they recount the story to you. Turns out the audience member had wanted to propose to her. By the end of the tale, you're face is the picture of shock, and Min's gasping for air in between laughs. ''[[next.|minmeet1]]''

<<set $optionc to true>><<set $timespend to $timespend + 1>>"Nope," Min responds, popping the p. "Should I? Is there like, hidden cameras I'm not seeing?" If you were being pedantic, you'd point out the whole point of hidden cameras is that they won't see them. You digress, though. The more bewildering part is the fact that Min genuinely doesn't know who you are. You're not claiming to be the most popular person in the world, but more often than not, people end up recognising you in the street. <<if ($humble > $arrogant)>>You can't say you mind it. Being unknown is a luxury you haven't had for a while. Might as well relish it whilst you can.<<else>>It bruises your ego slightly. Clearly, your presence isn't storng enough if you aren't recognised worldwide. You should tell Lea to work on it.<</if>> Min snaps their fingers in front of you, expression bemused. "Hello? Plan on coming back to Earth any time soon, supposed celebrity?" They really have no idea. ''[[next|minmeet1]]''

Reading all that has woken you up slightly, and falling to sleep isn't as easy as you thought it'd be. The comforting allure of the bed isn't enough to lure you into the depths of unconsciousness. Instead, you reach for the TV remote, pressing the on button. The grand majority of channels are (unsurprisingly) in Nepali. Flicking through, you scroll through seemingly endless amounts of shows before finding a news channel in English. Most of the stories are ones you've head of. The sound of the reporters familiar British accent nearly puts you to sleep, until one particular statement catches your attention. "And now, onto the sports, and we've got Alfie reporting on the Olympics. Over to you." "Thanks, Jane. The start of the Olympics is everything we've been waiting for, and after the opening ceremony a few days ago it's been thrilling. It was the turn of the pommel horse today, starring none other than $lname Louissant representing Team GB. Coming up, we have cycling, hurdles and swimming tomorrow, with taekwondo, fencing and javelin on the Wednesday." Wednesday was only a few days away. ''[[Shit.|demoend]]''

<<if $workout is 1>><<if ($misc is "phone") or ($misc is "a phone")>>"Thought of that, but you'd have no signal." Min explains, kicking a stray rock. You frown slightly. "You don't know that. Maybe it does." "I do know. It won't." "You //don't//." This back and forth goes on for embarrassingly long until you both agree that it would end up running out of battery anyway. No place to plug anything in on a stranded island.<<elseif ($misc is "tent") or ($misc is "flare")>>"You're so //practical//." Min says, dragging out the last word. You frown slightly. "Is that a bad thing? Thought it'd be logical." "Too logical. Wanted you to say something weird like... a cat, or something." "A "//cat?// What would you bring then?" you retort, meeting their eye. Min grins. "A knife, obviously." You rear back. "Oh, so that isn't practical and boring but mine is? That's not fair." "I said it, so it's fine," they reply jovially, before cackling at the look on your face. "Fine, we're both practical and boring."<<elseif ($misc is "knife")>>"Me too!" Min says, punching the air. "It just makes sense, you know? My friends told me I was too boring for saying it." You nod. "Yeah, it's a pretty useful tool to have." Min begins explaining all the practical uses of a knife, including ones that hadn't even crossed your mind. If you were to somehow get stuck on a desert island, you'd definitely drag them along.<<else>>"Hm," Min says, pondering over your response. "You know what I would take? A knife." You subconsciously take a step away from them. They laugh loudly, eyes glinting. "Not like //that//. They're just pretty practical, you know? Min begins explaining all the potential uses of a knife, and you have to admit, it does make sense. If you were to somehow get stuck on a desert island, you'd definitely drag them along.<</if>> ''[[next|minmeet1]]''<<elseif $workout is 2>><<if $convooption is 1>><<fair_plus "$kind" -2>><<set $min to $min - 1>>"If they can't see something that obvious, you need to just tell them, even if it hurts their feelings," you respond, shrugging. "It's tough love." Min bites the side of their cheek. "Even if it hurts them?" You nod. "If it saves them from long term pain, then yeah." Min sighs, their mind clearly elsewhere. "Even if it hurts them," they repeat quietly, not to you but to themself. <<elseif $convooption is 2>><<fair_plus "$kind" +2>><<set $min to $min + 4>>"Well, you definitely have to tell them," you start off, pursing your lips. "But nicely, I suppose. Break it to them softly." Min nods, rubbing their forehead. "Easier said than done though." "Yeah, suppose so," you answer. "Still have to do it though." Min sighs, mind clearly elsewhere. "Still have to do it," they repeat quietly, not to you but to themself.<<elseif $convooption is 3>><<set $min to $min - 3>>"Not my business," you say, shrugging. "Up to them if they want to make that decision." Min looks at you, unable to hide their shock. "Seriously? Even if it'll just hurt them?" "They're an adult. I don't control their life," you snip back, exaggerating your shrug. Min blinks a few times. They clearly didn't expect this response. <<else>><<fair_plus "$kind" +2>><<set $min to $min + 2>>"I wouldn't tell them directly," you start off, rolling your lips in thought. "Might make them more defensive. People don't like direct confrontation. I'd leave hints." Min looks at you curiously. "Hints? What do you mean?" "Like, leaving clues. Just nudging them in that general direction," you explain. They look away. "Been there done that," they mutter, and you can't help but feel as though you weren't meant to hear it.<</if>> "Thanks for your insight, though," they eventually continue, shoving their hands in the pockets of their leather jacket. The tension is evident on their face. "You can probably tell it wasn't really all that hypothetical. I just needed some outsider perspective on it." You want to ask who it's about, but you know better than to pry. Besides, Min doesn't seem as though they want to drag out this topic any longer. ''[[next|minmeet1]]''<<else>><<if $convooption is 1>>Seems like the most logical one to you, so you tell them that. They scrunch their nose up slightly. "Don't exactly see why. Wouldn't it be annoying to grab things? Everything you touch would be wet. You need opposable thumbs. Would you even be a //human// if you had tongues for fingers? I swear having opposable thumbs is a requirement." You feel yourself getting oddly defensive about your choice. It's such a ridiculous idea, yet here you are, feeling like you need to argue your point. Life truly was a box of chocolates. "Hey, a finger for a tongue would suck. How would you eat anything? Or speak?" Min strokes their chin thoughtfully. "Fair, I suppose. Those two things have solutions, though: soup and writing. Having everything you touch be //moist// is worse doesn't really have one.."<<elseif $convooption is 2>>It seems like the most convenient of the two options, so you tell them that. Min eyes you thoughtfully, clearly pondering on whether or not to say something. There's a slight hesitation to their voice as they start to speak. "Are you sure it's just because it's more convenient? Or, because... you know... it'd be pretty. How do I put this." A pause. "Sensual? Carnal?" You choke on your next breath. Fucking hell. <hr \>''[[You only have innocent reasons, obviously.|minanswers1][$convooption to 1]] [[...They got you there.|minanswers1][$convooption to 2]]''<<elseif $convooption is 4>><<fair_plus "$serious" +4>><<set $min to $min - 4>>It's a stupid question, and you doubt your answer would provide any real insight. Where do you even //find// questions like this? Min pouts at your rejection, an over dramatic gesture. "You're no fun," they begin, sticking their tongue out at you. "I'd pick a finger for a tongue if you were wondering. Don't know how I'd live grabbing anything without fingers on my hands." They continue talking on the topic for a while, until they sense your total disinterest in the topic. Min then falls silent, and the silence stays unbroken between the two of you for a while. ''[[next|minmeet1]]''<<else>>They brighten at your answer, for some fucking reason. You're not entirely sure you haven't fallen asleep and entered some strange dream realm where asking questions like this was the norm. "That's exactly what I think! It's the obvious option. Less impact on day to day life, you know?" Min enthuses, eyes shining. You didn't know it was possible to be so passionate about a hypothetical scenario as goofy as that. You just nod along, bemused. "Mhm. Obvious." ''[[next|minmeet1]]''<</if>><</if>>

<<if $convooption is 1>><<if ($touchaverse is false)>>You shove them slightly, causing Min to stumble half a pace and yelp.<<else>>You shoot them a glare, and they hold their hands up in mock surrender.<</if>> "Hey, I'm just saying!" they protest lightehartedly, glint in their eyes growing. "I don't know your intentions." You scrunch your nose up. "They're wholly innocent, for your information. Tounges for fingers would be more convenient. You could actually eat, for a start. Plus speaking without a tongue would be difficult." Min strokes their chin thoughtfully. "Fair point. Still think having everything you touch be //moist// is worse, though." There's a surprising amount of nuance to this question. You spend another few minutes going back on forth on this point, and it's clear Min has thought about it. Maybe a little too much. But hey, who are you to judge? It does make for an entertaining coversation at the very least. Plus, gloves exist. Another point in your favour.<<else>><<set $min to $min + 2>>You don't respond verbally to them. Instead, you just pull a face that may be taken as a guilty expression, and Min cackles. "Oh, you so //were//!" they crow loudly, causing a few passerbys to look at them in alarm. "How scandalous! And here I was thinking both //practically// and //innocently//. I'm so disappointed in you." You glare at them, although it doesn't hold much malice. "Come on. You have to have thought about it like that at least once." "More than once," they correct, voice solemn. A moment of quiet solidarity passes between you.<</if>> ''[[next|minmeet1]]''

<<set $timespend to $timespend + 1>><<set $optione to true>> "In the cafe or the country?" she deadpans. You shift in your seat, suddenly self conscious from just a single question. "The country." "Brand deal," they say succintly. A small pause before she continues. "Wanted me to film some stuff for the Olympics, bring publicity or whatever. Guess that answers why I'm in the cafe as well." //Publicity.// Not something you thought the biggest sports event in the world would need, but hey, what do you know? Everything's changed - it's all about social media now. You can't remember when you haven't had to manage this entirely new dimension of fame, the minefield that is the online world. Post too little, people forget about you. Post too much, people complain. ''[[next.|wendymeet1]]''

<<if $convooption is 1>><<set $wendyromance to $wendyromance + 1>><<set $wendy to $wendy + 1>>"Because you're gorgeous." The words leave your mouth before you can even really process them. <<if $outgoing > $reserved)>>Doesn't particularly bother you - you'd have said it anyway. You've never been one to shy away from saying what you think.<<else>>Shame begins to fill you as you wonder if you've completely put you're foot in it. You might need to invest in putting tape over your mouth. <</if>> Wendy arches an eyebrow, seemingly unaffected by your words. "Well, that's nice of you to say.." You can't tell if your blatant flirtation was recognised and ignored or if they're just plain oblivious. A small voice in your head tells you it's evidently the former. That's no fun. Either way, the cards are stacked in her favour, and she doesn't seem willing to share them out. A charged silence hangs between the two of you until the waiter returns with the aformentioned pastry. <<elseif $convooption is 2>><<set $wendy to $wendy + 2>><<fair_plus "$kind" +2>>"No?" You can't help the confusion that leaks through your tone. <<if ($kind > $rude)>>Is it actually that hard to believe that some people do things with no strings attached? Celebrities aren't always known for being the sweetest, but there are still nice people out there.<<else>>Although, you do see her point - it's not like you often do things out of the kindness of your heart. It's safe to assume that quite a few people she knows are the same.<</if>> Wendy only looks blankly at you. They seem genuinely nonplussed by your answer, a first. "Right. OK then." The silence hangs between you. Her scepticism in turn confuses you. Did they just expect you specifically to be mean? Or was it an expectation set from years of rubbing shoulders with influencers and stars? The quiet continues until the same waiter returns with the very pastry that started this whole conversation.<<elseif $convooption is 3>><<set $wendy to $wendy - 1>><<fair_plus "$serious" -2>>"Yeah, I do. Give me your firstborn child. You can call me Rumpelstiltskin from now," you deadpan, attempting to keep the smirk off your face. <<if ($humorous > $serious)>>That's got to be one of your best quips of this whole trip. You've set a high bar for yourself for the next few weeks.<<else>>You don't normally think of yourself as funny, but that was pretty good. Maybe you should consider a career in comedy?<</if>> Wendy only looks at you blankly. "Right. Thanks for letting me know." Her tone is as dry as yours, although there's no underlying humour to her statement. Your smirk slowly fades. Guess that she doesn't want to call you Rumpelstiltskin then. The following silence hangs between you until the same waiter returns with the pastry that started this whole conversation.<<elseif $convooption is 4>><<set $wendy to $wendy - 5>><<fair_plus "$kind" -2>><<if ($kind > $rude)>>Maybe it wasn't entirely innocuous, even though you want it to be.<<else>>Yeah, it was slightly obvious - you're not actually sweet enough to do that out of the goodness of your heart.<</if>> Wendy Morgan's a powerful ally to have, and an even more powerful friend. Getting her on your side would be a brilliant move - probably why Lea sent you here in the first place. Wendy observes you closely, and her expression slightly darkens. The change is so slight you almost miss it. "That's my answer then." You raise an eyebrow, expecting elaboration. Instead, their eyebrows only furrow deeper in thought as she leans back. Working you out, perhaps? Trying to gauge why exactly you want to butter her up? The answer should be obvious. It is to you, at least.This thoughtful silence hangs between you until the waiter returns with the pastry.<<else>><<set $wendyromance to $wendyromance + 1>><<set $wendy to $wendy + 2>>Maybe you didn't exactly buy her the pastry out of //just// the goodness of your heart. Maybe a small part of you wants Wendy to like you more - and not necessarily just as a PR friend they text occasionally. Would it be poor of you to assume that this could go somewhere romantic? Maybe, but it's all in your head anyway. Not like anybody else will know. You don't say anything. Or did you? Judging by she smiles, it's as if you told her exactly what you were thinking. If you didn't know better, you'd say there was a hint of smugness present. "That's my answer then." You raise an eyebrow, expecting elaboration. Instead, their smile only grows smugger as she leans back. The two of you stay like this until the waiter returns with the afromentioned pastry.<</if>> As soon as the waiters gone, Wendy takes a bite out of the croissant. Judging by her expression it far excels good. You're not exactly sure what to do with yourself - surely just watching someone eat errs on the side of creepiness? Instead, you content yourself with admiring the various art pieces on the wall as they eat. One of them features a dog wearing a top hat. ''[[next.|wendymeet1]]''

<<if $workout is 0>><<if $convooption is 1>><<set $wendy to $wendy + 4>>"Honestly? My manager told me to come here, so I did." To your utter surprise, Wendy //laughs//. The sound is higher than you expected, a radiant noise that echoes around the cafe and draws the attention of a vaguely alarmed cashier. They cover their mouth in an attempt to stifle it. "I didn't expect you to be honest," she finally manages out. "That's nice. Really nice." You smile awkwardly, half alarmed and half confused. <<if ($serious > $humorous)>>You didn't realise honesty was that hilarious. Maybe it's easier to be funny than you thought<<else>>Normally you had people laughing at your admittedly terrible jokes, not when you tell the truth.<</if>> Wendy looks back at you, eyes glinting. In contrast, her tone when she speaks is serious, "It's hard to come across honesty in these celebrity circles. Everyone's always lying - you should know that." ''[[next.|wendymeet1]]''<<else>><<set $wendy to $wendy - 4>>"Because I wanted to," you begin. "You're lying." The sudden statement catches you off guard, so Wendy amends her question slightly. "//Why// are you lying?" <hr \>''[[Never back down. "I'm not."|wendyanswers2][$convooption to 1]] [["...For fun?"|wendyanswers2][$convooption to 2]] [[Frown. "How'd you know?"|wendyanswers2][$convooption to 3]] [[Oh. She's got you there.|wendyanswers2][$convooption to 4]]''<</if>> <<elseif $workout is 1>><<if $convooption is 1>><<set $wendy to $wendy + 1>><<fair_plus "$serious" -2>><<fair_plus "$professional" -2>><<if ($humorous > $serious)>>"Of course," you respond smoothly, the ever so familiar humorous tone returning to your voice. "Love punching people in the face. Nothing more satisfying."<<else>>"Sure," you respond, nodding. "It's fun when you land a good hit."<</if>> Wendy examines you, tapping her nails on the table. "Is that all?" "Yeah?" you answer, confused. Her question didn't seem that serious, so you answered in kind. What more did they expect? <<if ($professional > $casual)>>"Just had you down as someone who'd give a more professional answer," they hum. So Wendy had done their research after all. Well, at least you were defying expectations right off the bat. She's right - you don't tend to give such casual answers to epople you barely know, but maybe it's time for a change.<<else>>"Guess I shouldn't have expected a more formal answer from you," they hum. Well, even if it is slightly less serious doesn't mean there isn't an element of truth to it. Landing a solid strike is almost just as satisfying as those videos of people deep cleaning rugs.<</if>><<elseif $convooption is 2>><<set $wendy to $wendy + 4>><<fair_plus "$serious" +2>><<fair_plus "$professional" +2>>You take a few seconds, pondering it slightly. "Well, it's more than just beating people up. It's about technique and skill, and that's not even mentioning the discipline. There's a lot more to it than people realise." Wendy intently listens to you, drinking every word in. That's what spurs you to continue on. "Plus, there's a degree of sportsmanship other sports lack. All together, it's a pretty enjoyable activity." "I never thought about it like that," they muse, tapping her fingers on the table. "Thanks, $name. That's pretty interesting."<<elseif $convooption is 3>><<set $wendy to $wendy - 1>><<fair_plus "$professional" -2>>"Obviously?" you respond, trying to dampen down your blatant confusion. It evidently doesn't work. "I was just asking, $name. You'd be surprised at how many people spend their life doing things they hate," Wendy responds calmly, examining her nails in a show of nochalance. Their nochalance is equal parts admirable and confusing. She's right, you suppose, but those people don't tend to also be Olympic athletes. Anyone at the top of their game usually loves being there.<<else>><<set $wendy to $wendy - 2>>"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?" you defensively respond. You can't manage to keep the edge of worry out of your tone: had she noticed something about you to make them ask that? "I was just asking, $name. Although maybe you should consider why such a simple question made you feel the need to defend yourself," Wendy responds calmly, examining her nails. Their nochalance is equal parts admirable and irritating. They're right, you suppose, althought that's nto something you want to dive into. Your insecurity around how you come off was a problem for three int he morning.<</if>> ''[[next.|wendymeet1]]''<<else>><<set $wendy to $wendy + 2>><<if ($cuisine is "Ghanaian")>><<set $wendy to $wendy + 2>>She offers you a rare smile, revealing pearly white teeth. It lights up her whole complexion, giving them an air of friendliness you didn't really expect from her. Was everything about them this perfect? "Me too," she answers, tone softer than normal. "Specifically my mum's food, though. Best in the world." <<if ($mfeelings is "hate") or ($mfeelings is "dislike")>>You bristle slightly. It must be nice to have such a solid relationship with your parents. You can't even the remember the last time you had your mothers cooking.<<else>>You want to object and say that your mothers is the best in the world, but keep your mouth shut. After all, her from scratch macaroni cheese is to die for.<</if>><<elseif ($cuisine is "Nigerian")>>She raises an eyebrow. "Fair, but Ghanaian jollof is still better than Nigerian. The one my mum makes is to die for - it's the best thing you'll ever eat." You can't really argue against that statement, considering you've never had her mum's jollof. Probably never will. <<if ($mfeelings is "hate") or ($mfeelings is "dislike")>>The casual mention of mothers makes you bristle slightly. It must be nice to have such a solid relationship with your parents. You can't even the remember the last time you had your mothers rice.<<else>>It seems Wendy's close with her mother, and you can relate to that. It's nice seeing a different side to them - one she doesn't seem to show all too often.<</if>><<else>>She nods, seeming to considering your answer. "That's a good one. My personal favourite is Ghanaian - specifically my mother's. Her food is second to none." <<if ($mfeelings is "hate") or ($mfeelings is "dislike")>>You bristle slightly. It must be nice to have such a solid relationship with your parents. You can't even the remember the last time you had your mothers cooking.<<else>>You want to object and say that her mother's food is actually second to one: your own mother's food. After all, her from scratch macaroni cheese is to die for. Still, common sense tells you to keep your mouth shut.<</if>> ''[[next.|wendymeet1]]'' <</if>> <</if>>

<<if $convooption is 1>><<if ($outgoing > $reserved)>> You meet her eye as you say this in an attempt to seem more honest. It doesn't work.<<else>>You can't meet her eye as you say this though. It's not a surprise that it doesn't work.<</if>> "You're lying," she repeats, slower this time. As though they're trying to explain this concept to a disobedient toddler. <<if ($humorous > $serious)>> "I'm //not//," you insist. "Yes you are." You shake your head slowly, enunciating each word. "No. I'm. Not." You're perfectly content to continue this back and forth endlessly. She's not, judging by the way she glares at you. At least you don't have to tell them the truth now.<<else>>"I'm not," you say, voice serious and firm. They eye you consideringly. "You definitely are. Can admire your attempt to stick with it, though." You'll take that.<<elseif $convooption is 2>>Your voice pitches up at the end, and they raise an eyebrow. "You don't sound particularly confident about that," she notes, tapping her nails on the surface. "Here's a tip - if you're going to lie, at least stick with it." Noted, you suppose. You're not entirely sure what makes them the expert on lying.<<elseif $convooption is 3>>She chuckles, although the sound is more patronising than amused. "Not telling you. Can't show my whole hand already, can I?" God, their media training was good. Might need to ask Lea to inquire as to who taught her. <<else>>You don't see anything, but she reads your surprise easily. "Yes, I got you. You're more obvious than you think." Well, excuse you. You just didn't expect that a vlogger would also be an expert in body language.<</if>> ''[[next.|wendymeet1]]''

<<if $convooption is 1>><<fair_plus "$kind" +2>><<set $wendy to $wendy + 1>>The distaste in her words was evident, but you can't assume anything. It'd just be rude to assume she despised her job - if she truly did, they wouldn't have done it for this long. Still, a curious part of you wanted to know. Couldn't hurt to ask. If they really didn't want you to know, she could just tell you to shut up. Wendy's silent for a few, long seconds before they speak up. The words when they next speak feel carefully chosen: straight off a script rather than from their heart. "Don't get me wrong. I do love my job. If I really disliked it, I wouldn't be sitting here right now. I am... just not a //fan// of the connotations that it comes with." Fair enough, from what you've seen. Celebrities that come from social media aren't really taken as seriously as those who became famous through sport or acting. You've heard people you've spent time with use it as an insult, calling people who aren't the most talented influencers. As well as that, you also know all about connotations thanks to your surname. Wendy's experience probably isn't too different to your own. Two different worlds, two same experiences.<<elseif $convooption is 2>><<set $wendy to $wendy - 8>><<fair_plus "$professional" -2>>The dislike is so evident in her words it almost makes you laugh. You couldn't help but point out the obvious - if something is so clearly true, why pretend otherwise? And why continue to do it for so long? It only hurts yourself in the long term, making you miserable. Surely no amount of money in the world is worth that. Wendy's silent for a few, long seconds. When she next speaks, the anger in her voice is barely disguised. It feels as though they're trying and failing to restrain themselves from lashing out at you. "$name, you've only just met me. If I didn't love my job, I wouldn't be sitting in front of you right now. Please don't assume how I feel about my own choices when you don't know anything. I dislike the connotations with it, that's all." You flinch slightly as Wendy's gaze shifts elsewhere in the cafe. What they said is fair. Celebrities that come from social media aren't really taken as seriously as those who became famous through sport or acting. You've heard people you've spent time with use it as an insult, calling people who aren't the most talented influencers. It's no wonder that she dislikes all that baggage that comes with a career. Just like you love your sport, but detest the assumptions that come with the surname $surname.<<elseif $convooption is 3>>Maybe you're being particularly stupid, but none of those words really mean anything to you. You know the dictionary definition of them, but have no idea how they translate into real life. Wendy's silent for a few, long seconds. When she next speaks, the words are slow and enunciated, as though they're explaining something to a three year old. You feel as though you should be sitting on a carpet cross legged. "I make videos for a living. People watch them and enjoy them. Because lots of people like them, I became popular. Because I became popular through something not conventionally known, people assume things about me. I don't like that. " Despite the almost insulting simplicity of it, their explanation did actually help. You've heard of how other people feel about people like her. As well as that, you've also heard people you've spent time with use the words as an insult, calling people who aren't the most talented influencers. Making videos is just as much of an art as painting, or acting is. <<elseif $convooption is 4>><<fair_plus "$professional" +2>><<set $wendy to $wendy + 2>>The distaste in her words was evident, but you can't assume anything. It'd just be rude to assume she despised her job - if she truly did, they wouldn't have done it for this long. You're also not about to ask. Their feelings about their job are her own, and you aren't entitled to know about them. Wendy's silent for a few, long seconds before they speak up again. She seems to have read your thoughts easily. The words when they next speak feel carefully chosen: straight off a script rather than from their heart. "Don't get me wrong. I do love my job. If I really disliked it, I wouldn't be sitting here right now. I am... just not a //fan// of the connotations that it comes with." Her candidness was unexpected, but what she actually said wasn't all too surprising. Celebrities that come from social media aren't really taken as seriously as those who became famous through sport or acting. You've heard people you've spent time with use it as an insult, calling people who aren't the most talented influencers. As well as that, you also know all about connotations thanks to your surname. Wendy's experience probably isn't too different to your own. Two different worlds, two same experiences.<<elseif $convooption is 5>><<set $wendy to $wendy - 4>><<fair_plus "$professional" -2>><<fair_plus "$kind" -2>>You raise a brow, equal parts confused and amused. What, so they make videos for a living? Surely everybody could do that? And not to mention the disdain in their voice, whatever that was for. Hell, if your job was as easy as just filming you'd never complain again. How do people even make a living out of that? Fuck, do they make more than you? Wendy's silent for a few, long seconds. When she next speaks, the disapproved tone in her voice is barely disguised. It feels as though they're trying and failing to not give you an hour long lecture. "Of course it's a job. Just because you don't see it as one, doesn't mean it isn't. I'd even argue it's the future of being famous - events will soon be filled with people who do the same thing as me." They shrug. "Valid job, but people still have their own thoughts on it. Same ones as you do. It's far harder than you think, you know." They got you there. Celebrities that come from social media have never been taken as seriously as those who became famous through sport or acting. People who feel the same as you regarding it. You can see why that may be irritating: after all, the connotations with the surname $surname have haunted you for your entire career. Still surprising people could make a living from this though. <<else>>You've definitely heard about them before. She's one of the more famous social media celebrities - transitioning from being strictly on social media to appearing on some TV shows and red carpet events. Still, the impression that you got off those was that they love what she does. <<if ($persona is "authentic")>><<else>>Although you do know about acting as someone else.<</if>> Wendy's silent for a few, long seconds before they speak up again. She seems to have read the confusion off your face. The words when they next speak feel carefully chosen: as though they're straight off a script rather than from their heart. "Don't get me wrong. I do love my job. That's why I do what I do - I'm not pretending to feel something I don't. I just feel that the //connotations// with it are more restricting than anything." Reassuring to know that they're authentic, you suppose. The rest of what she said doesn't surprise you all too much. Celebrities that come from social media aren't really taken as seriously as those who became famous through more traditional means. You've heard people you've spent time with use it as an insult, calling people who aren't the most talented influencers. As well as that, you also know all about connotations thanks to your surname. Wendy's experience probably isn't too different to your own. Two different worlds, two same experiences.<</if>> ''[[next|wendymeet1]]''

When you finally wake again, the windows outside only show a dark void. Blinking away your confusion, you come to the conclusion that it's night time, and you haven't entered some wormhole. Would've been more exciting than this plane journey, you suppose. You stretch you arms out. The plane's interior is dark, with only some overhead lights on twinkling like stars. Most people seem to be asleep from what you can tell. That, or they're all dead. It's anyones guess. A quick tap on the screen in front of you tells you that there's still five hours left of the flight. This was the worst part of flying: attempting to find a way to entertain yourself. Reading was always an option, but you didn't particularly feel like doing that right now. The films on the small TV in front of you are all ones you've already watched. Not to mention the shitty attempt at games that are on them. Looking around, you make a quick note of everything, formulating a short list of other things you could do. ''[[next|planechoices1]]''

<<set $gamechapter to "prologue">><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="coolstats"> ‎ ‎ ‎ <span class='fadeIn'>//[[prologue|home]]//</span> ‎ ‎ ‎ </span></div>

<<set $gamechapter to "chapter one">><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="coolstats"> ‎ ‎ ‎ <span class='fadeIn'>//[[chapter one|chap1]]//</span> ‎ ‎ ‎ </span></div>