BAD END=DEAD END

[idolpro]

[ The door leads to a room with a big whiteboard and several colored dry-erase markers (your position colors, interestingly!) waiting for you. In permanent ink the whiteboard is divided into two sides: the left says "BATTLE PLAN" and the right says "VOTING". Under "BATTLE PLAN", there's a helpful quote of, "HOW DO WE GET THE CROWD TO LOVE US?"

Well. That's the million dollar question, isn't it?

There are fold-up chairs all around as well as a table, as if this is a Very Important Meeting. In the corner there's a crate, full of things that you might . . . need? No real weapons are inside of the crate, but if you root around, you can pretty much find anything or a cardboard version of everything - like there's no food there but you could totally get a cardboard burger.

You can leave the room if you want to, to mingle with other people. ]

Comments

[awakenerd]

I can't tell if we're going to entertain people or piss literally everyone off.

But why not. So who's his true love?

[rollwithdisadvantage]

You pick. It can be A or Oni or someone else you think of. Heck, it can be all of them.

CEO is the dragon he has to fight.

Maybe Anibus, Lucifel and Persephone can be the sirens. They all have white hair. It will work.

Hmm. That leaves Taisho, Wild City, Heart Sailor Senshi, Avent Guard and Azrael.

[awakenerd]

Maybe his true love was the friendships he made along the way.

Or the dragon, if we want a twist ending.

[rollwithdisadvantage]

[Spilling large amounts of cardboard on the table.]

This may be too many props and people.

[awakenerd]

[Considering the supplies and then... Starting to sketch out a large human shape with vaguely Boss-like hair.]

We can abbreviate the whole thing.

[rollwithdisadvantage]

Right!

[Noting what he is doing and nodding with approval.]

Okay, so we just line up all his challengers and and toss him at each one.

[Making a cut out of a giraffe with giant dragon wings and a frown that hits the floor.]

So did you decide if the true love was going to be his friends or the twist?

[awakenerd]

Literally toss him...?

[Important distinction.]

Hmm... I don't want to be too mean to Boss, but on the other hand, everyone likes a twist ending... What do you think?

[Starting to quickly scribble in paint for Boss's coloring and then moving on to making big rectangular cutouts and just writing team names on them.]

[rollwithdisadvantage]

[Sits on the table.]

You know what.

Just put the cardboard cut out off Boss on stage. End performance.

[awakenerd]

...I think we can do a little more than that... What if we stack all the teams next to him and play a song?

[rollwithdisadvantage]

Perfect.

[Digging into the crate and finding a boom box. It has a song already queued up.]

Shall we simply let fate decide the song?

[awakenerd]

I think that would be in line with the theme of our performance.

[rollwithdisadvantage]

A catchy line at the end, and I think we have this one in the bag.

Well done, Intern.

[awakenerd]

Phoenix. But I think we can pat ourselves on the back for this one.

[rollwithdisadvantage]

Phoenix. I like it. Who recommended it?

[awakenerd]

Hiryuu. I couldn't say no. But it is a good name.

[rollwithdisadvantage]

You can always say no. Isn't that the point of our unit?

[awakenerd]

Don't take this as a dare or anything, but I'd like to see you say no to her.

Anyway, I do like the name.

[rollwithdisadvantage]

[Sorry, I take everything as a dare.]

Then congratulations, Intern, you have graduated and found a proper name. One that I'll even use.

I didn't like Ogre.

[awakenerd]

Well, then that's even more reason to like the name I guess.

Why didn't you like it though?

[rollwithdisadvantage]

You don't seem ogre-ish. You'd have to be twice as muscular. Or at least more muscular than Oni.

[awakenerd]

I guess that's fair. I could work out twelve hours a day and I doubt I'd bulk up more than Oni.

[rollwithdisadvantage]

Not on the gruel they are feeding you that's for sure.

Well, maybe Ogre would work if you hair was green, but then I probably would have called you Cabbage.

[awakenerd]

Uh... Glad we avoided that one then. Phoenix is just fine.

Why'd you go with 99 anyway?

[rollwithdisadvantage]

I didn't real care about what I was called. Still don't really care.

[awakenerd]

So it doesn't have any meaning or anything?

[rollwithdisadvantage]

Not that I'm aware of.

Though if you do find out why they called you 'Ogre', do tell me.

[awakenerd]

Sure. Though who's to say if there is. But I'm curious about 99 too, if you ever find out.

[rollwithdisadvantage]

[Nodding.]

They might ring true. Boss' did. Ask him about it when he's not sleep deprived.

[awakenerd]

Sure. I've been working on that.