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

[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.