RE: A CYOA in Worm or I think my name is No No
09-07-2020, 05:08 PM (This post was last modified: 09-12-2020, 01:35 PM by Rajvik.)
09-07-2020, 05:08 PM (This post was last modified: 09-12-2020, 01:35 PM by Rajvik.)
Now for some more story and some plot advancement
**
PRT Headquarters
Washington DC, USA
1800 hours Thursday, January 13th 2011
“I apologize for the hour of this call Ms. Kuno,” Chief Director Rebecca Costa Brown said once the video call had connected and she found herself looking at a perfectly average Japanese woman. She had spent the last day and a half doing her research on the woman and her family only to find herself impressed. Mother of one, Summa Cum Laude with a Master’s Degree in Business Management and Economics from Tokyo University as well as running one of the biggest multinational investment businesses in Japan. The woman had a cutthroat way of doing business that made sure that everything possible went her way, and even the things that couldn’t didn’t hurt her or her family.
“Hello Chief Director,” the CEO of Kuno Investments and The Kuno Foundation said with a slight seated bow. “How may I assist you today?”
“Madame,” Rebecca started, “It has been brought to my attention that you have a way to predict when the Endbringers are to attack. I would like a copy of that data so that our own people can adapt it to our existing attempts to build an Endbringer prediction program.”
“That isn’t a problem Chief Director,” the woman replied while making a note on a legal pad next to her. “I can have the program in a shielded package and on its way to you within the day, was there anything else?”
Rebecca froze slightly, she had not expected getting the prediction program to be that easy. “Err, thank you,” the Chief Director answered. “Actually, there is one other thing. We are wanting to mimic your Endbringer entertainment venues in a few test cities here in the US. Would you be willing to either send someone as a consultant to assist in this, or at least link us into your projected programming?”
“I can do both,” the woman said with a wide smile. “Though I am going to have to charge you for this one. Currently we have expanded our program to South Korea, The Philippines, as well as parts of SouthEast Asia and most of the Pacific Islands. Depending on what cities you intend to include we may be expanding to a near 24-hour program.”
Rebecca goggled at that, “New Orleans, New York, Seattle and San Francisco are our test cities,” Rebecca answered, her voice wavering some. “Chicago and Denver are considering doing something similar, but they doubt they could get it set up before the predicted time frame.”
The CEO nodded, “I can send a person to each city you listed and link all of them into the programing. The cost for you would be 25-thousand dollars per 100-thousand people.”
“That’s very generous of you Ms Kuno,” Rebecca commented breathlessly. That’s insane! she thought as she accepted the offer. “If you will send people to those cities I am sure that they can arrange for the money to be transferred to your foundation’s account once they have an estimate of how many people they will be dealing with.”
“Of course Chief Director,” the CEO answered, making another note to herself. “I will have people dispatched by the end of our business day.
“Thank you for your time and cooperation, Ms Kuno.” Rebecca said calmly only to receive a nod from the other woman before the call was disconnected. Standing up from her desk Rebecca walked out of her office and past her secretary’s empty desk toward a broom closet. Opening the closet door, she murmured “Door to Cauldron,” before disappearing into the shining doorway.
**
**Akane**
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday flew past in a blur of school, training, and actual work. it was followed by Saturday, which dawned bright and beautiful as I awoke to a text from Sabah notifying me of a practice walk at the Brockton Bay University Auditorium at noon. The timing did not upset any plans I had so I went about my day. It was a quarter of twelve when I walked through the auditorium doors to find a madhouse of young adults running back and forth trying to make everything perfect. “Akane!” Taylor’s voice called out over the bedlam and after a minute of scrutiny I could see her and Sabah off to one side about halfway down the hall. Seeing her I almost dropped the pumps in my hand as she bounced and waved in the sundress that Sabah had stuffed her in last week. I waved in return before walking over.
“Taylor, Sabah,” I said as I reached them and tried valiantly not to eye Taylor’s legs in the short sundress. “Kind of a madhouse around here huh?”
“Hello Akane,” Sabah said as she only half noticed my appearance. “I’m glad you are here as not only do I need to do a final fitting on your dresses, but Taylor needs someone to walk her around and get her used to the three inch heels that she’s going to be wearing.”
I sighed but nodded. I wasn’t a girly girl by any stretch of the imagination, and I preferred slacks and jeans to skirts, I had, however, agreed to do this and I could see by the look in Taylor’s eyes that she was enjoying every bit of it. “Alright,” I said with another sigh. “Where is the changing area and the first dress?”
Sabah pointed to one side where a screen partition like you would see in a western stood providing a modicum of privacy. “All three of your outfits are hanging behind the screen, it doesn’t matter which you choose, but if you choose the Ao Dai first we can go ahead and find you a pair of slippers to go with it.”
I nodded and headed toward the screen, considering how I would look in the dresses. Five gets you ten someone is going to record this and I will never live it down, I thought as I began to strip from my street clothes before pulling on the slip and the fancy dress. It actually fit this time as opposed to being overly large on me. The waist hit at the right point, and while the chest was snug, it wasn’t in a way that was uncomfortable or constraining. The skirt on the other hand still minimized my steps worse than a kimono.
Stepping out from behind the screen I felt my breath hitch at the vibrancy of Taylor’s smile. She bounced slightly in the heels as she clapped her hands, “My God Akane,” she said with a giggle, “you’ll have the boys swooning if they see you like this.”
I grimaced as I hobbled over to the block that Taylor was occupying. “They say a word and I’ll kick their butts up between their ears,” I grumbled through my smile. “What about those slippers Sabah?”
“I think I’ll let Taylor lead you there,” the design student and seamstress answered. “That way she can get some more practice walking in the heels she’s wearing.”
Taylor and I both nodded and I offered her my hand to help her down from the platform. “You seem to be having fun,” I said as we left Sabah behind.
“I don’t usually wear clothes this nice,” Taylor replied beaming, even as she wobbled a bit in the heels. “At Winslow there not only wasn’t any reason, but with the trio and their hangers-on screwing with me daily, they would have been ruined by the end of first period.” She sighed after a minute before continuing to talk even as she seemed to focus on her walking. “It’s also not really my style,” she said quietly. “I mean, every once in a while, yeah having a reason to dress up nice and having something nice to wear at that point is a good thing, but it’s not a daily thing for me. I’m just as comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt as this.”
I nodded as I was much the same, back in Japan I would have been much more comfortable in the boy’s uniforms at my schools, than the girls. My reputation had kept me from problems there though as no one wanted to test my control. Still though, I would rather be in a suit than a dress. I thought as we stepped up to a young man that seemed to have a shoe fitting station.
“Ah, you’re here for slippers, right?” he asked, smiling as he looked at me.
“Yes,” I answered. “I usually wear a size six American, but the width tends to be on the wide side of things.”
“Alright then,” he answered with a smile. “Why don’t you have a seat and we will see what fits.” I nodded and sat down on the stool he had available while watching Taylor walk back and forth in the heels. The young man took a shoe sizer and settled my left foot in it before sliding the sides and the end in. Pulling my foot out once he locked the pieces in place, he looked at it and nodded. “Yes, size six extra wide,” he commented half under his breath before diving into a stack of boxes and pulling out three. “Try this one on,” he said, handing me one of the boxes.
The slippers inside were a pale violet, and just a touch too narrow, “Nope,” I said pulling it back off. “Too narrow in the toes.”
“Alright then,” he said, setting one of the two boxes aside before handing her the other. “Try this pair.” I handed him the pair of slippers I had back before taking the new pair and pulling out the left one.
“Much better,” I told him as I flexed my foot in the slipper. Putting the other one on I stood up and walked around a bit. “Yes, this will do nicely, thank you.”
“No problem,” the young man said with a smile. “What about you miss, any problems with your sandals?”
“Just that I need to get used to walking in them in a hurry,” Taylor answered.
“Sorry but I have no answer for that one.” He replied.
“I might,” I said, but let’s let Sabah finish her fitting before we try it.”
**
**Taylor**
“Excuse me,” I looked up from where Sabah was re-hemming the cuffs of Akane’s pantsuit to see a spare blonde woman with a clipboard standing off to one side of us. “Could you tell me your names and what agency you work for?” she asked.
I blinked for a moment at the question before looking at Akane and Sabah. “A mutual friend introduced us,” Sabah answered through a mouth full of pins. “They don’t work for an agency.”
“While I find that hard to believe as it is awfully convenient,” the blonde said with a smile, “I still need your names for the announcements during the fashion show.”
“Noelle,” Sabah sighed standing to look the blonde in the eyes. “I gave you their names yesterday. In fact, I wrote them down on your ever so fashionable clipboard so that you wouldn’t forget them. How in the hells you manage to be a top tier team leader and strategist in a combat game with how scatterbrained you seem to be is beyond me?”
The blonde smiled, “Francis says that it’s because I attain a laser like focus when the virtual feces hits the rotary air impeller,” she replied. “I’m not that ditzy, I really just wanted to see if these were who you wrote down or if there was going to be another last-minute change. You’ve got a couple of cute ones here.”
CUTE! I thought as my mind jackknifed like an 18-wheeler trying to stop on a patch of ice. She thinks I’m cute, why does she think I’m cute? Vocally all that came out was a groan as my mind started to spin.
**
**Akane**
Taylor groaned and I felt my eyes roll back as I sighed in disgust. “Noelle was it?” I asked, receiving a nod from the blonde, Too damn thin, anorexic or bulimic at a guess. my brain supplied. “Thanks a lot, you broke her,” I continued gesturing at Taylor. “Now I have to figure out a way to fix her and continue this afternoon so that we can get some practice in on the platform before we go home.”
“What do you mean I broke her?” the blonde asked acerbically. “All I said was that she was cute, it was a compliment.”
“And she’s had a bad couple of years that has destroyed her self-esteem and self-image.” I hissed at her. “She has a hard time believing she’s good at anything or worth anything. Compliments fluster her. Sabah, are you done setting the hem?”
“Yeah,” the fashion student answered, shooting a glare at the blonde. “I can finish re-hemming the thing tonight and it will be ready for you tomorrow.”
“Good,” I answered, stepping off the small platform and moving behind the changing screen. “I’m going to try and get Taylor’s brain to reboot, or at least get it out of the crashing loop I imagine it’s in and then we’re going to walk the runway, might talk to the sound folks about the music for tomorrow, and then we are out of here.”
“Completely understandable,” Sabah told me. “Just remember that we need to be here at three for any last-minute changes and a practice walk through.”
“Understood,” I answered as I changed out of the clothes Sabah had me in and back into my street clothes. “Taylor and I will be here by then and ready to go.”
Fully dressed save my boots I stepped out from behind the screen to sit down. “Now, tomorrow I will hopefully have Taylor ready to take any compliments but do try and keep them minimal and about the clothes. She’s not used to them.” Noelle and Sabah both nodded as I zipped up my boots and then I stood, and walking over to Taylor, wrapped my arms around her from behind. “Tay,” I said softly in her ear. “Let’s get out of here and we’ll talk some alright?” the girl nodded slightly before letting me pull her to her feet and guide her out of the auditorium.
“She called me cute?” Taylor said in a soft small voice as we left. “How can she find me cute?”
**
**
PRT Headquarters
Washington DC, USA
1800 hours Thursday, January 13th 2011
“I apologize for the hour of this call Ms. Kuno,” Chief Director Rebecca Costa Brown said once the video call had connected and she found herself looking at a perfectly average Japanese woman. She had spent the last day and a half doing her research on the woman and her family only to find herself impressed. Mother of one, Summa Cum Laude with a Master’s Degree in Business Management and Economics from Tokyo University as well as running one of the biggest multinational investment businesses in Japan. The woman had a cutthroat way of doing business that made sure that everything possible went her way, and even the things that couldn’t didn’t hurt her or her family.
“Hello Chief Director,” the CEO of Kuno Investments and The Kuno Foundation said with a slight seated bow. “How may I assist you today?”
“Madame,” Rebecca started, “It has been brought to my attention that you have a way to predict when the Endbringers are to attack. I would like a copy of that data so that our own people can adapt it to our existing attempts to build an Endbringer prediction program.”
“That isn’t a problem Chief Director,” the woman replied while making a note on a legal pad next to her. “I can have the program in a shielded package and on its way to you within the day, was there anything else?”
Rebecca froze slightly, she had not expected getting the prediction program to be that easy. “Err, thank you,” the Chief Director answered. “Actually, there is one other thing. We are wanting to mimic your Endbringer entertainment venues in a few test cities here in the US. Would you be willing to either send someone as a consultant to assist in this, or at least link us into your projected programming?”
“I can do both,” the woman said with a wide smile. “Though I am going to have to charge you for this one. Currently we have expanded our program to South Korea, The Philippines, as well as parts of SouthEast Asia and most of the Pacific Islands. Depending on what cities you intend to include we may be expanding to a near 24-hour program.”
Rebecca goggled at that, “New Orleans, New York, Seattle and San Francisco are our test cities,” Rebecca answered, her voice wavering some. “Chicago and Denver are considering doing something similar, but they doubt they could get it set up before the predicted time frame.”
The CEO nodded, “I can send a person to each city you listed and link all of them into the programing. The cost for you would be 25-thousand dollars per 100-thousand people.”
“That’s very generous of you Ms Kuno,” Rebecca commented breathlessly. That’s insane! she thought as she accepted the offer. “If you will send people to those cities I am sure that they can arrange for the money to be transferred to your foundation’s account once they have an estimate of how many people they will be dealing with.”
“Of course Chief Director,” the CEO answered, making another note to herself. “I will have people dispatched by the end of our business day.
“Thank you for your time and cooperation, Ms Kuno.” Rebecca said calmly only to receive a nod from the other woman before the call was disconnected. Standing up from her desk Rebecca walked out of her office and past her secretary’s empty desk toward a broom closet. Opening the closet door, she murmured “Door to Cauldron,” before disappearing into the shining doorway.
**
**Akane**
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday flew past in a blur of school, training, and actual work. it was followed by Saturday, which dawned bright and beautiful as I awoke to a text from Sabah notifying me of a practice walk at the Brockton Bay University Auditorium at noon. The timing did not upset any plans I had so I went about my day. It was a quarter of twelve when I walked through the auditorium doors to find a madhouse of young adults running back and forth trying to make everything perfect. “Akane!” Taylor’s voice called out over the bedlam and after a minute of scrutiny I could see her and Sabah off to one side about halfway down the hall. Seeing her I almost dropped the pumps in my hand as she bounced and waved in the sundress that Sabah had stuffed her in last week. I waved in return before walking over.
“Taylor, Sabah,” I said as I reached them and tried valiantly not to eye Taylor’s legs in the short sundress. “Kind of a madhouse around here huh?”
“Hello Akane,” Sabah said as she only half noticed my appearance. “I’m glad you are here as not only do I need to do a final fitting on your dresses, but Taylor needs someone to walk her around and get her used to the three inch heels that she’s going to be wearing.”
I sighed but nodded. I wasn’t a girly girl by any stretch of the imagination, and I preferred slacks and jeans to skirts, I had, however, agreed to do this and I could see by the look in Taylor’s eyes that she was enjoying every bit of it. “Alright,” I said with another sigh. “Where is the changing area and the first dress?”
Sabah pointed to one side where a screen partition like you would see in a western stood providing a modicum of privacy. “All three of your outfits are hanging behind the screen, it doesn’t matter which you choose, but if you choose the Ao Dai first we can go ahead and find you a pair of slippers to go with it.”
I nodded and headed toward the screen, considering how I would look in the dresses. Five gets you ten someone is going to record this and I will never live it down, I thought as I began to strip from my street clothes before pulling on the slip and the fancy dress. It actually fit this time as opposed to being overly large on me. The waist hit at the right point, and while the chest was snug, it wasn’t in a way that was uncomfortable or constraining. The skirt on the other hand still minimized my steps worse than a kimono.
Stepping out from behind the screen I felt my breath hitch at the vibrancy of Taylor’s smile. She bounced slightly in the heels as she clapped her hands, “My God Akane,” she said with a giggle, “you’ll have the boys swooning if they see you like this.”
I grimaced as I hobbled over to the block that Taylor was occupying. “They say a word and I’ll kick their butts up between their ears,” I grumbled through my smile. “What about those slippers Sabah?”
“I think I’ll let Taylor lead you there,” the design student and seamstress answered. “That way she can get some more practice walking in the heels she’s wearing.”
Taylor and I both nodded and I offered her my hand to help her down from the platform. “You seem to be having fun,” I said as we left Sabah behind.
“I don’t usually wear clothes this nice,” Taylor replied beaming, even as she wobbled a bit in the heels. “At Winslow there not only wasn’t any reason, but with the trio and their hangers-on screwing with me daily, they would have been ruined by the end of first period.” She sighed after a minute before continuing to talk even as she seemed to focus on her walking. “It’s also not really my style,” she said quietly. “I mean, every once in a while, yeah having a reason to dress up nice and having something nice to wear at that point is a good thing, but it’s not a daily thing for me. I’m just as comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt as this.”
I nodded as I was much the same, back in Japan I would have been much more comfortable in the boy’s uniforms at my schools, than the girls. My reputation had kept me from problems there though as no one wanted to test my control. Still though, I would rather be in a suit than a dress. I thought as we stepped up to a young man that seemed to have a shoe fitting station.
“Ah, you’re here for slippers, right?” he asked, smiling as he looked at me.
“Yes,” I answered. “I usually wear a size six American, but the width tends to be on the wide side of things.”
“Alright then,” he answered with a smile. “Why don’t you have a seat and we will see what fits.” I nodded and sat down on the stool he had available while watching Taylor walk back and forth in the heels. The young man took a shoe sizer and settled my left foot in it before sliding the sides and the end in. Pulling my foot out once he locked the pieces in place, he looked at it and nodded. “Yes, size six extra wide,” he commented half under his breath before diving into a stack of boxes and pulling out three. “Try this one on,” he said, handing me one of the boxes.
The slippers inside were a pale violet, and just a touch too narrow, “Nope,” I said pulling it back off. “Too narrow in the toes.”
“Alright then,” he said, setting one of the two boxes aside before handing her the other. “Try this pair.” I handed him the pair of slippers I had back before taking the new pair and pulling out the left one.
“Much better,” I told him as I flexed my foot in the slipper. Putting the other one on I stood up and walked around a bit. “Yes, this will do nicely, thank you.”
“No problem,” the young man said with a smile. “What about you miss, any problems with your sandals?”
“Just that I need to get used to walking in them in a hurry,” Taylor answered.
“Sorry but I have no answer for that one.” He replied.
“I might,” I said, but let’s let Sabah finish her fitting before we try it.”
**
**Taylor**
“Excuse me,” I looked up from where Sabah was re-hemming the cuffs of Akane’s pantsuit to see a spare blonde woman with a clipboard standing off to one side of us. “Could you tell me your names and what agency you work for?” she asked.
I blinked for a moment at the question before looking at Akane and Sabah. “A mutual friend introduced us,” Sabah answered through a mouth full of pins. “They don’t work for an agency.”
“While I find that hard to believe as it is awfully convenient,” the blonde said with a smile, “I still need your names for the announcements during the fashion show.”
“Noelle,” Sabah sighed standing to look the blonde in the eyes. “I gave you their names yesterday. In fact, I wrote them down on your ever so fashionable clipboard so that you wouldn’t forget them. How in the hells you manage to be a top tier team leader and strategist in a combat game with how scatterbrained you seem to be is beyond me?”
The blonde smiled, “Francis says that it’s because I attain a laser like focus when the virtual feces hits the rotary air impeller,” she replied. “I’m not that ditzy, I really just wanted to see if these were who you wrote down or if there was going to be another last-minute change. You’ve got a couple of cute ones here.”
CUTE! I thought as my mind jackknifed like an 18-wheeler trying to stop on a patch of ice. She thinks I’m cute, why does she think I’m cute? Vocally all that came out was a groan as my mind started to spin.
**
**Akane**
Taylor groaned and I felt my eyes roll back as I sighed in disgust. “Noelle was it?” I asked, receiving a nod from the blonde, Too damn thin, anorexic or bulimic at a guess. my brain supplied. “Thanks a lot, you broke her,” I continued gesturing at Taylor. “Now I have to figure out a way to fix her and continue this afternoon so that we can get some practice in on the platform before we go home.”
“What do you mean I broke her?” the blonde asked acerbically. “All I said was that she was cute, it was a compliment.”
“And she’s had a bad couple of years that has destroyed her self-esteem and self-image.” I hissed at her. “She has a hard time believing she’s good at anything or worth anything. Compliments fluster her. Sabah, are you done setting the hem?”
“Yeah,” the fashion student answered, shooting a glare at the blonde. “I can finish re-hemming the thing tonight and it will be ready for you tomorrow.”
“Good,” I answered, stepping off the small platform and moving behind the changing screen. “I’m going to try and get Taylor’s brain to reboot, or at least get it out of the crashing loop I imagine it’s in and then we’re going to walk the runway, might talk to the sound folks about the music for tomorrow, and then we are out of here.”
“Completely understandable,” Sabah told me. “Just remember that we need to be here at three for any last-minute changes and a practice walk through.”
“Understood,” I answered as I changed out of the clothes Sabah had me in and back into my street clothes. “Taylor and I will be here by then and ready to go.”
Fully dressed save my boots I stepped out from behind the screen to sit down. “Now, tomorrow I will hopefully have Taylor ready to take any compliments but do try and keep them minimal and about the clothes. She’s not used to them.” Noelle and Sabah both nodded as I zipped up my boots and then I stood, and walking over to Taylor, wrapped my arms around her from behind. “Tay,” I said softly in her ear. “Let’s get out of here and we’ll talk some alright?” the girl nodded slightly before letting me pull her to her feet and guide her out of the auditorium.
“She called me cute?” Taylor said in a soft small voice as we left. “How can she find me cute?”
**
Wolf wins every fight but the one where he dies, fangs locked around the throat of his opponent.
Currently writing BROBd
Currently writing BROBd