CYOA: Ace, Jolyne, Lillium

[becomemod]

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[floridas]

[ cool that's all she needed to hear. she just gives a hesitant nod and turns to join the call fully now, voice on edge. ]

Seemed almost too easy to get an invite. And at midnight?

[unsync]

Hung

Probably not.
AI-Balls should be immune to things we're not though, so keep a lookout.
Midnight?

Iris

Invited... back? To what, NAIX?
What were you doing there?

[ Ace can get screenshots of Luffy and Chopper's text message history that he's just spamming Ace's phone with now. Just so much conspiracy talk. Chopper is the Iris Sagan of this AU I guess. ]

[selfimmolation]

[ okay you guys can keep talking to your useful superiors ace is busy texting luffy ]

Why are you sending me this.
Luffy.

[ another screenshot ]

Luffy Chopper is your doctor and I need him to understand what cults are
Tell him he can't be your doctor if he's in a cult

[ Well. This is happening. ]

[perennation]

... We watched the video, but we're fine.

[ Lillium thinks they're fine because his issues happened before the video, so! ]

NAIX was a lead for the case we were on, which was why we were at their HQ to ask some questions.

[floridas]

[ just nodding ] We got a projection instead that responded and told us some info, but then offered a more formal meeting at midnight.

Supposedly... someone would be there to talk to us.

[ the "i doubt it's that easy" is audible ]

[unsync]

[ Luffy texts back that Chopper would NEVER be in a cult and NAIX is EVIL ALIENS and they have a SATELLITE that's going to one day NUKE ALL THE TECH SYSTEMS ON EARTH and

Anyway.

Iris

Wait, you saw the video?!
Lillium!

Hung

It's definitely a lead if nothing else.
Going to search around for our missing friends then.
Text or call us if you find anything?

[selfimmolation]

Cool.
Tell Chopper I'm going to fight the evil aliens tonight at midnight
I already punched one of their guys in the nuts
wish me luck ✌️

[ Ace goes back to the phone call and ignores his texts now.
Well. Knowing you, this is probably going to end up true. ]

We watched a video. Maybe it wasn't the same one! [ :D? ] We'll contact you guys once we learn whatever she's got to say. Let us know if you find Nimona and the others.

[perennation]

Don't talk to me like you wouldn't watch a video sent to you. I thought it would help with the case.

[ And all of this has been too wild to be normal, now that they're saying the disappearances correlate with the videos. ]

I'll forward you guys the text, so you guys can analyze it over there. [ Which he'll do... ] Have backup on standby near the HQ, in case anything happens to us.

[floridas]

We've got you on speed dial. [ gotta stay in contact or all his hair is going to fall out. ] We'll report back ASAP if we hear anything useful from our visit. Promise.

[ ignores the part where ace mentioned watching "a" video like he's fooling anyone you clown.

like come on of course they had to watch the video. ]

[unsync]

[ Luffy sends back so many emojis and just complete YEAH!! energy. Kicking people in the nuts IS the answer, and even better when you roll nat20s to do them.

THERE IS SULLEN SILENCE FROM IRIS. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO CALL HIM OUT LIKE THAT. You can see him pouting on the video call like he has been done an offense.

Hung is the only one who continues to proceed with this normally, nodding at your report. He promises he'll let you guys know if they find any of your friends.

And now, all you have to do is wait until midnight... aka, tune in for Day 03. The rest of the day is free-action. ]

[selfimmolation]

[ welp! ]

... So, who's up for dinner?

[ :D? ]

[perennation]

Honestly, I'm ready to kick it at a diner until midnight.

[ He could use some TASTY FOODS. ]

[floridas]

Sounds good to me. Let's hit it.

[unsync]

[ May I interest you in Japanese Denny's? ]

[selfimmolation]

[ denny's is for winners

LET'S GO TO DENNY'S YAY ]

[perennation]

[ ........ As they're ordering. ]

Have you noticed anything strange? Ever since the video—or even before.

[selfimmolation]

Well... I can't really remember what we did after we saw the video, before we went back? Did I pass out again?

[ surely nothing weird happened there, right ]

[perennation]

We got back to HQ, didn't we?

[ surely nothing weird happened there! they think things are normal. ]

... I've—I don't really know how to explain it, but I've had moments where I'd space out. This was before the video.

[selfimmolation]

Yeah, we did.

[ surely it was normal! ]

... What happened? That wasn't when we were together, right?

[perennation]

It was when we were investigating locations on our own.

[ As he thinks back to it, it's weird. He doesn't feel it's weird, but objectively it's hard to explain it away. ]

... I don't know. I guess I was seeing things? Maybe I need some caffeine.

[selfimmolation]

... Maybe? What did you end up seeing, anyway?

[perennation]

... Things that shouldn't be there, basically. People. Or something else on paper.

[selfimmolation]

[ hmmmmmmmmmm concerning, actually. BUT PROBABLY NORMAL ]

... Any of our missing friends? Or what was on the paper?