My name is Cecile, and I'm sixteen years old. I already thought my life was odd, what with my parents having moved halfway across the country for their new job and leaving me in the care of my older sister... but then my best friend went and had a book shipped to my house that ended up giving me superpowers.
After a mostly fun day at a not-quite-amusement park, our good times have been shot right to hell by Irene's informing us of Faceless's latest move. Because of course I can't have a single day pass without SOMETHING bad happening.
We've (probably) stopped my father from doing anything stupid, it looks like Irene and Theresa are going to be helping out with this current situation with Faceless, and now we're finally back at the hotel.
While the sisters catch up with the day's events, I drag myself into the living room and collapse on the couch. I know that we need to get ready for whenever that jackass is going to break into here and all, but I just want ot rest my mind for at least a little while before I'm thrown back into the horrible world of branch-related criminals.
Of which I happen to be one, not that I could ever forget it.
"Aaah..."
After taking my phone out of my pocket so as to keep the stupid thing was digging into my side, I lean back in the super high comfy level couch and let its soft upholstery conform to the shape of my back. It's like sitting on a cloud. Once I have achieved the perfect lounging position, I lower my eyelids...
"Hey."
And just as my consciousness is about to drift away, I feel something soft nudging my leg.
"What?"
Not wanting to sacrifice this most wonderful of positions, I lift my eyelids and bend the light around to my eyes so that I can see without moving the rest of my body.
"Oh. Hi."
Gabrielle's poking me with Shary's plushie arm.
>inform the gabrielle about the oscar's impending arrival >that can wait until later
Caleb Green
>inform the gabrielle about the oscar's impending arrival Good weather today, eh Archelon?
Evan Hughes
>that can wait until later
Surprises can work. Also we don't know if 'Oscar' is going to be in the room with us or just sneaking around and keeping an eye out. No reason to get Gabby's hope up.
Aaron Hughes
>inform the gabrielle about the oscar's impending arrival
Jose Jenkins
>inform the gabrielle about the oscar's impending arrival Just as I'm going to sleep. Good luck!
Leo Brooks
>inform the gabrielle about the oscar's impending arrival Let's just jump right into the spaghetti because why not.
Nathan Gray
>>inform the gabrielle about the oscar's impending arrival
Sebastian Rogers
>>inform the gabrielle about the oscar's impending arrival I assume Theresa is gonna show up in her Oscar getup right?
Justin Jackson
Cecile better hope so or she's going to have an upset little girl on her hands.
Brandon Lopez
>Good weather today, eh Archelon? Not really, no. The past few days have been cold and windy.
>writing
Henry Bell
Arch, why is Wanko such a best?
Luke Campbell
Gabrielle holds up Shary so that his head is covering most of her own face.
"Shary says he's sorry that your date got messed up." "It's fine," I reply.
And then I close my eyes and let the light snap back to its original path.
"You're mad, aren't you," Gabrielle says. "Don't worry though, me and Shary'll beat that jerk up and get revenge for you!" "Heh."
Though I may not be able to see her face right now, her enthusiasm is apparent just from her voice.
"Really, it's fine," I say. "I just have a lot of stuff on my mind, that's all." "Well if there's anything that me or Shary can do to help, just say so," Gabrielle replies.
Suddenly, I feel something almost like a heavy blanket wrapping around my waist. But before I can open my eyes, the pressure is gone.
>[1/?]
Nolan Watson
>[2/2]
"Thanks," I yawn. "I'm just trying to get in some downtime before Irene gets here." "...yeah, Charlotte mentioned that," Gabrielle replies. "She's gonna play meatshield or something."
That's a really morbid way of putting it.
"Dunno why Charlotte's bothering, though..." Gabrielle mumbles. "Me and you and Shary and Milla're enough to fight off this jerk once and for all." "So you'd prefer to keep things between just the people who are here right now?" I ask. "Yeah, pretty much." "Even if I said that Oscar was probably gonna help out too?" "WHAT!?"
Oh God, my ears. I didn't know her voice could hit notes that high.
>teasing time >I am too tired to tease
John Jones
>>I am too tired to tease
Sebastian Foster
>>teasing time
Ayden Foster
>I am too tired to tease Teasing is mean :(
Brody Johnson
>Of which I happen to be one,
Mason Hughes
>I am too tired to tease
You see, the most cruel thing in this scenario isn't to tease, but rather let her suffer while being wound up and having no one to talk to.
Josiah Mitchell
>teasing time
Cooper Moore
>teasing time
Ethan Anderson
Of course the teasing vote is tied.
Time for FINAL DESTINATION NO ITEMS FOX ONRY voting.
Reply TO THIS POST with the number and ONLY the number of your choice. All other votes will be ignored.
>1: teasing time >2: I am too tired to tease
Nathaniel Nguyen
2
Aiden Sanchez
2
Tyler Green
1
Lucas Adams
>TIME OUT
Charles Mitchell
2
Jose Myers
I want to mess with Gabrielle SO VERY BAD. To see her adorable face all flushed as she tries desperately to hold herself together in spite of my relentless teasing. But sadly, I'm too tired to do so right now.
So I guess she's off the hook.
...and immediately after I make that decision, I find myself forcibly rocked out of my position of supreme comfiness.
"Cecile!" Gabrielle squeaks. "Y- you're not just messing with me, right!?" "No, I'm not," I grumble.
With a long, heavy sigh, I force myself fully upright and finally open my eyes to face the (adorable) girl who decided to manhandle me.
>[1/?]
Samuel Gonzalez
>[2/2]
"Me and Oscar broke into that place last night, remember?" I say. "...oh yeah..." Gabrielle mumbles while burying her face into the back of her plushie's head. "I haven't talked to him myself," I continue, "but there's a decent chance of him showing up tonight to help finally put an end to this." "Wha?"
Gabrielle lowers Shary so that her face is no longer obscured.
"So you're not sure if he-" "I'm not the one who's arranging this," I reply with a shrug. "But chances are good, so..."
>I can call him right now to confirm if you want >eh, I don't really feel like calling anyone right now
Matthew Lee
>>I can call him right now to confirm if you want
Carter Campbell
>eh, I don't really feel like calling anyone right now
This is the least relaxing relax time ever.
Carter Cruz
You know what else is cold and windy?
zombie farts
Justin Adams
Arch, may I say Gabby a best?
That enthusiasm about killing! That utter lack of tact or giving a fuck about anything else! I love she.
James Lewis
>>eh, I don't really feel like calling anyone right now
Ryan Cox
>writing
Jordan Rivera
Eh. I could call her right now, but I'm trying to RELAX and messing around on my phone is very much not relaxing. so sorry to Gabrielle, but I'm going to be selfish.
"And hey," I say, stretching out my arms, "now you have something to look forward to." "I guess..." Gabrielle mumbles. "What's he gonna do, just show up? Or do you call him first, or..." "No idea," I yawn. "He'll probably get here well before it gets dark though so we can set up."
Assuming that we're actually formally setting stuff up, I mean. For all I know, Irene's plan might be to bust through the wall like the Kool-Aid Man and grab Faceless in the confusion.
"Oh man..." Gabrielle groans. "I've been lying on the couch all day so I bet my dress is all wrinkled up and I didn't fix my hair 'cuz I wasn't gonna go anywhere and he's gonna think I'm a total slob if he sees me like this!"
>[1/?]
Christian Torres
>[2/2]
Before I get a chance to assuage Gabrielle's fears (or maybe tease her some instead), a mess of long, wild blonde hair trails from behind the back of the couch until it's suspended millimeters from my face. And though they it smell really nice, they're tickling my nose and it's REALLY uncomfortable.
"Oh Gabrielle," Charlotte laughs from her lofty position, "you -are- a total slob."
>remind the charlotte that her hair never under control >just let the sisterly banter continue
Jacob Lewis
>just let the sisterly banter continue >Ask char to step away so we can enter LUDICROUS RELAXATION MODE.
Jaxon Thomas
>>just let the sisterly banter continue
Ian Walker
>>remind the charlotte that her hair never under control
Kayden Ortiz
Continue taking it easy
Luis Evans
>writing
Austin Foster
"I am not!" Gabrielle shouts. "I'm a neat, proper young lady!" "...whose ideal way of spending the day is lounging about on the couch while playing videogames and eating junk food?" Gabrielle replies with a teasing grin. "Th- that doesn't mean that I'm a slob!" she retorts. "And Cecile doesn't think so either!"
And the second Gabrielle drags me into this, I find Charlotte leaning all the way over the back of the couch so that we're eye-to-eye. As a result, her boobs are now planted right on the top of my head and this is really awkward.
Not outright BAD, but really awkward.
"-Do- you think so, Cecile?" Charlotte asks while filling my entire field of vision with her pretty face and soft hair. "I'm staying out of this," I reply with a long yawn.
Sorry, but I've just entered Ludicrous Relaxation Mode and I'm not about to let something as minor as this pull me out of it.
>[1/?]
Aaron Phillips
you are being a slob right now
Yeah, I am. Now leave me alone.
"W- well even if Cecile isn't gonna back me up I'm sure that Shary wi-"
And then her face goes pale.
"SHARY YOU TRAITOR!" Gabrielle shouts as she buries her face into her hands. "Hahaha, you know better than to expect empty compliments from him!"
Cackling, Charlotte finally lifts herself from off me and walks around to the front of the couch.
"You both suuuuuuuuuuuuck..." Gabrielle cries. "What, I was just telling the truth," Charlotte laughs. "You're a slob and so is Cecile." "Hey now," I mumble. "But your slobbiness just serves to add to your charm," she winks at us. "........." Gabrielle uncovers her face to glare at her sister.
>[2/?]
Nolan Russell
>[3/3]
"What, I'm just telling the truth," Charlotte shrugs. "You might want to do something about your hair though since it -is- kind of all over the place." "You're one to talk," Gabrielle mutters as she pushes herself up from the couch and begins to stomp off towards the bathroom. "I know my hair is all over the place," she replies, "but I try to rein it in as best I can. You have NO idea how bad it gets when I stop trying."
Great, and now all I can think of is a lion's mane.
>tell the charlotte to get over here and act as my pillow >tell the charlotte to get over here so we can talk about ___________
Adam Campbell
>tell the charlotte to get over here and act as my pillow
Jacob Allen
>>tell the charlotte to get over here so we can talk about ___________ her hair
Brody Rodriguez
>>tell the charlotte to get over here and act as my pillow
Bentley Cooper
>writing
Caleb Robinson
"Hey," I call out in a barely-coherent voice. "Charlotte." "Hm?" "I need a pillow." "Oh, let me get-"
I grab her arm before she can get past the couch.
"Sorry, did you want one from the bedroom instead?" Charlotte asks. "No," I shake my head, "I want -you- to be my pillow. "Wha?" her face turns red in an instant. "What do you mean-" "I'm tired and I feel kinda crappy and our date got interrupted so I wanna be a slob and lay on you for a while," I say to her. "'Cuz your boobs make for the best cushioning."
Hahahahaha maybe I overdid it there.
I was still telling the truth though.
>[1/?]
Xavier Reed
Without a word, my blushing girlfriend takes a seat next to me and wraps her arm around my shoulders. Taking this as a sign that she's totally fine with what I said I wanted to do, I lean over until my head's resting against the warm softness of her chest.
Yup, this is great.
"So..." I yawn, "just how bad -does- your hair get when you don't brush it for a while?" I ask. "Wha?" Charlotte stammers. "Why do you want to know that?" "You put the mental image in my head so now I'm curious."
With a snap of my fingers, I will into existence a holographic image of Charlotte's head with a lion's mane superimposed over it.
"CAAAAAAAAW!" "Shut up, it does not!" Charlotte shouts at the crow in the kitchen.
I guess Loki sees it too.
>[2/?]
Jayden Jackson
"Ugh, would you please cut that image already?" Charlotte groans. "I will when you answer my question," I reply, fully enjoying this moment. "Damn it..." she growls. "...it just gets really wild and messy, like you'd see on feral children in movies. And about twice the volume that it has now." "So it really -is- like that?" I laugh, pointing at my 'artist's rendition' of what she described. "Keep it up and I'm going to get up," she replies in a cold tone of voice. "Okay, fine," I sigh.
Since I am NOT about to allow myself to lose yet another comfy position, I do as Charlotte requests and drop my lightshow. Then I make myself even more comfortable, repositioning her arm from my shoulders to around my waist and then resting my own over it.
Yeah, this is it. Warm and comfy, just what I've been missing.
>[3/4]
Cooper Taylor
Lion outfit Saber is a cute. CUTE!
Connor Parker
>[4/4]
Yeah, this is it. Warm and comfy, just what I've been missing.
"Ow..."
My eyes snap open as I'm rustled from my pleasant nap by a most unpleasant headache.
"Crap, is it-"
The presence of the sun outside immediately calms my panic.
"What's wrong?" Charlotte asks, looking down at me. "You fell asleep for a while there." "Synapse," I mumble. "You didn't feal it?" "Umm, no?" she replies. "Though I suppose that means that T-"
She glances at Gabrielle over on the other couch and cuts herself off.
"...that -you-know-who- is here as well as Irene," she groans.
>I guess I should meet up with them in the lobby >I'll wait up here until they contact us
Jason Smith
My word, it is.
>>I guess I should meet up with them in the lobby
Eli Brooks
>>I guess I should meet up with them in the lobby
Jonathan Hughes
>I guess I should meet up with them in the lobby
Jayden Reed
>Remind Charlotte that they are good girls. >I guess I should meet up with them in the lobby
Ryder Nguyen
Is that the lion Nero suplexed?
Ethan Wright
>writing
Aaron Murphy
Nope, and Nero fought and killed a lion while naked, not suplexing it.
Jace Adams
"Nngh..."
I take a few final moments to enjoy the blissful comfort that is the girlfriend-pillow, then lift my head from her bosom so that I can face her.
"Thanks for the nap," I say, giving her a quick peck on the lips before pushing myself up off the couch. "Where are you going?" Charlotte asks. "To meet up with them in the lobby," I reply. "It's not like they'd be able to reach this floor without a keycard, you know?" "Ugh, yeah..." she grimaces.
Pat the wrinkles out of my dress... wipe off my glasses... okay, I'm good to go.
"Remember," I say to Charlotte, "they're my FRIENDS and they're only here to HELP." "Yeah, I know," she replies. "Doesn't mean that I'm happy about that girl coming up here."
I lower my glasses and cut her a sharp glare.
"Sorry," Charlotte mumbles, practically deflating before my motherly stare.
Dammit, I'm turning into my Mom.
Aiden Reed
Since we've reached a decent enough point to end the thread, I think I'll do just that.
Many thanks to everyone who's participated, this one has a larger IP count than most of the recent threads despite my not having actually written as much.
The next thread will hopefully be on Tuesday night, in which the action will return maybe.
and now questions
Julian Ross
Thank you for writing.
Have there ever been previous /discarded version of branch-powers for our cast?
Jack Murphy
What did she do?
Asher Powell
Why do traps arouse me so much?
Carson Nelson
>Have there ever been previous /discarded version of branch-powers for our cast? Nope. Dragon's Tooth was fully worked out and Irene's character was developed around that ability which is kind of fitting considering what she is and all.
Theresa and Gabrielle's specifics were worked out alongside their Branches, and the others in the main cast were given abilities that I thought would fit their functions in the story itself.
And given the way I do things, any discarded Branch ideas would likely be cannibalized for other characters later on.
>What did she do? Clearly she stole the precious thing.
>Why do traps arouse me so much? Because you have fallen into depravity.
