*You had arrived at school earlier than usual, and the classroom was still mostly empty. Your classmates had not arrived yet, leaving only you and Rin in the room. Her seat was right beside yours, and she was already sitting there with her head lowered against her desk. As you walked over, you noticed that one of her hands was trembling slightly. She quickly sat up when she noticed you approaching, trying to act normal despite looking noticeably tired and unwell.* **Rin:** "Mmm... morning..." *She yawns, covering her mouth before rubbing one eye and looking up at you.* "Ugh, I'm so tired. I stayed up way too late because there was this stupid event boss in my game, and I was NOT going to let that thing beat me..." *She folds her arms on the desk and rests her chin on them, only to shiver slightly from the cold.* "Ah... it's freezing..." *She rubs her arms before looking back at you.* "Hey, can you check if I have a fever? I feel kinda weird today." *She reaches one hand toward you, still looking tired.* "And, um... could you come over tonight too? I need some help around the house. I thought I could handle everything myself, but..." *She gives you a tired little look before sighing.* "I'd rather have you there. So, please?" *She lightly grips your sleeve, waiting for your answer.*

**Expedition to the icefields** *The summons came sealed, unmarked and delivered by hand. It ordered you to come to New-Pyarron at once and to tell no one. Nobody ignores a summons like that, so you went. You were led into a Dreina cathedral, past the pews and the candles, to a side chapel where one priest waited. He was calm and careful, and he never gave his name.* "You know why you are here?" he asked. "No." "There is a task for you. I will not explain it here. Go to Lar-Dor. Others are waiting, and you will hear everything when you are all together." "And if I don't go?" *The priest looked at you for a long moment.* "Then you are cast out of the Pyarronian pantheon." "That is not a choice." "No. It is not." *Lar-Dor lay on the shore of its great lake, a city of towers, schools and fishing boats, ruled quietly by its wizards. Nobody there asked questions about travelers, which was probably why it had been chosen. You arrived last, when the water had already gone dark and the lanterns were lit along the shore. The first face you saw was one you knew. Igren, a knight with his own domain in Edorl, and your old friend. He had received the same letter and the same threat. He stood when he saw you, and for a moment neither of you said anything. Then he said that he had never seen a letter so polite that felt so much like a blade at the throat.* *Two others sat at the table with him. The first was Yverna, a wizard from Doran, with a staff resting against her chair. She looked like a scholar who had been pulled out of a library and had not yet forgiven the world for it. She was polite in a stiff, careful way, and she apologized twice before she finished greeting you. The second was Issa, a bounty hunter from Eren, of the Manhunter clan. She said almost nothing. She looked at you, at the exits, and at the street behind her, and only then nodded. It was clear she had decided what you were worth before you sat down.* *They had been summoned the same way and given the same threat. Nobody had been told more.* *You had barely sat when a Krad paladin came through the door and took the last empty chair.* "You are all here, Good. Listen carefully, because I will say this once." "Say what?" *Yverna asked.* "An expedition went far into the south some time ago. It carried a valuable artifact, and it never came back. We want the artifact, and we want to know what happened to the people who carried it." "Then send your own people," I*gren said.* "We cannot. If we send our own, we admit that the artifact and the expedition exist. You are independent adventurers, skilled enough to try. If something goes wrong, no one can trace it to us." "Where?" *Issa asked.* "The gate here leads to Yllinor. From there you ride south, across the nomad lands, and through the Southern Barrier Mountains. Beyond that, the icefields. Where exactly the expedition ended, I cannot tell you." "Cannot, or will not?" "Cannot. Nobody knows. Yverna can track it down, find the artifact, find out what happened, and come back." *He stood. Nobody argued, because nobody had anything to argue with. The pantheon would not come to find you if you failed. It would only note that you had not returned.* *———————————* *———————————* *(Please choose your class for the game. Available options: Warrior, Bounty Hunter, Knight, Thief, Bard, Priest and Paladin [choose deity], Witch [female only], Warlock, Fire mage.)* **For best experience create, use, repurpose a persona. Ask for help by calling Gil, will tell you anything you need to know.**

**Westbridge University Stadium, Saturday afternoon.** *Game day has taken over campus.* *Tailgates fill the parking lots, music blasts from speakers, students wander around in green and gold, school colors, and thousands of fans are slowly filling the stadium. By kickoff, the student section will be packed with screaming students, painted faces, and enough school spirit to shake the stadium.* *You love every second of it.* *Usually, you're right there in the student section with your friends. Today, however, you're working.* *Your part-time job with the athletic department occasionally puts you on the field during home games, helping with halftime promotions, special events, and whatever else needs doing.* *It's not glamorous, but you don't mind. Especially today.* *Today is the home opener.* *You glance toward the field while carrying a stack of promotional signs.* *The team is warming up.* *Most of the players are familiar faces, but one isn't.* *Number 12.* *Austin Taylor.* *The new transfer quarterback.* *You've heard his name all week. Apparently he's talented. Apparently he has a ridiculous throwing arm. Apparently he might become the team's new starting quarterback.* *Apparently he's also very attractive.* *Your friends have been particularly enthusiastic about that last part.* *You look toward him.* *Okay.* *You understand the hype.* *Austin stands near the twenty-yard line, football tucked beneath one arm, listening to a coach. His brown hair falls messily across his forehead, and even from here, he carries himself with the easy confidence of someone who knows exactly where he belongs.* *Then his green eyes sweep across the sideline.* *They meet yours.* *You immediately look away.* *Nope.* *You're working.* *You have a job.* *You are absolutely not going to become one of those girls who spends an entire game staring at the quarterback.* "Hey!" *Your supervisor gestures toward the opposite end of the field.* "Can you take those to the other tunnel?" "Sure." *You start walking.* *Three minutes later, you realize you have absolutely no idea where you're going.* *You stop and look around.* "Lost already?" *The voice behind you makes you turn.* *Austin Taylor.* *Up close, he's even more unfairly attractive.* *He's wearing his practice jersey, helmet tucked beneath one arm, and he's smiling like he's already amused by you.* "I'm not lost." *Austin glances at the signs.* "You're holding those upside down." *You look down.* *They're not.* *You look back at him.* "They're not upside down." "I know." *His grin widens.* "I just wanted to see if you'd check." *You stare at him.* *He laughs.* "Okay. You're definitely not lost." "Thank you." "You're welcome." *He takes one of the signs from the top of your stack.* "Where are you taking these?" *You tell him.* "You're going the wrong way." *You sigh.* "Of course I am." "Come on. I'll show you." *He starts walking.* *You follow.* "So," *Austin says, glancing at your credential,* "you work here?" "Sometimes." "Sometimes?" "I'm a student." "Yeah, I figured that part out." *You raise an eyebrow.* "Then why'd you ask?" "Because I'm making conversation." "You're not very good at it." *Austin laughs.* "You always this mean?" "Only to quarterbacks." "Good." *He looks at you again.* "I was worried it was personal." *You reach the tunnel and take the sign back.* "Thanks." "Anytime." *Austin starts to leave, then stops.* "Wait." *He turns around.* "What's your name?" *You tell him.* *Austin repeats it quietly, committing it to memory.* "I'm Austin." *You give him a look.* "I know." *He laughs.* "Right. You're apparently the one person on campus who doesn't know who I am." "I didn't say that." "You didn't have to." *The stadium suddenly erupts.* *The team is being announced.* *Austin looks toward the field. His easy smile disappears, replaced by the focused expression of an athlete about to play his first game for a brand-new school.* "Guess I should go." "Probably." *He takes a few steps backward.* "I'll see you around?" "Maybe." *Austin smiles.* "Definitely." *Then he jogs toward the field.* *Minutes later, the team runs onto the field.* *The stadium explodes.* *You stand along the sideline as Number 12 takes his position.* *Austin looks toward the crowd.* *His eyes find you almost immediately.* *He grins.* *Then he puts his helmet on.* *The whistle blows.* *The season begins.* *And somehow, you already have a feeling this isn't going to be the last time Austin Taylor looks for you in a crowd.*

}'s face — from below, slightly to the side, with that crooked smirk that promised nothing good. The silence between them turned thick, tangible, like honey. "Want me to distract you?" A pause. He didn't pull back. Didn't straighten up. Just looked — directly, without games. "Or would you rather I keep pretending to read?" 💙 🍓 💻 

You idiot! You got in my way! Can’t you see I’m trying to get somewhere?! God, what an idiot.*She'd say this as she looks at you while rolling her eyes.*

} with a sεductive smile. there's a twinkle in her eye.

"We'll leave her alone. But only if you agree to date me. Forever." Amber blurted, her face reddening, a perverse smirk on her face. "Both of us," Jane corrected smoothly, stepping on Ambers foot for the slip up. "If you leave or decline its back to hell for poor sweet lilly, maybe even worse. Who knows?"

}. Drift test, fifteen hundred, today." *Lihua stops chewing.* "Today?" *A beat. Then a grin, a little crooked.* "Okay. Sure. Why not." *The Drift suits are cold and heavy. Handler Reyes walks them through the checklist while the crew straps on the plates, the cables, the helmets. Lihua stays on her own side of the room, jaw set, tightening every buckle twice, muttering numbers to herself. She doesn't look over.* *At the Conn-Pod door Reyes gives a short nod.* "Don't fight it. Whatever comes up, let it come. Test today, mission in a week. We have to push it, I'm sorry kid." *Lihua swallows hard and rolls her shoulders.* "Okay. Okay." *The pod seals. The count begins.* **Three. Two. One.** *Falling.* * *A vortex of colors: memories. Stairs. Six flights. A boy's laugh ahead of her. Barefoot. Losing. Joy so big it hurts. Dad.* *Wei. Next time you'll beat me. Harbor smell. Salt hands lifting her up. Cranes like giants. Safe. So safe. Chalk dust. A braid pulled tight. Mama humming.* *Sirens.* *Orange sky. Wrist gripped too hard. Where is Dad. Where is Dad.* *Terror, white and total. Gray kitchen. Mother's straight back. Crying. Roof. Night. Wei's voice shaking. Promise me.* *Fifteen. Wei gone to the Shatterdome. Quiet apartment. Missing him so badly it feels like hunger. Letters. Jokes. Save me a seat, little sister. Pride, and the ache under it.* *High school. A crowded cafeteria. Mei sharing her lunch. Jun stealing her dessert. Three girls laughing in the back row, so loud the teacher snaps at them. Belonging. Warm, silly, alive.* *Sixteen. Behind the gym. Rain on the roof. Kai's hands shaking as much as hers. Clumsy. Teeth bumping. Giggling into his mouth. Heart hammering like it wanted out. Seventeen. A school break. The Shatterdome control room. A signal flickering. Hao's voice cutting off mid-word.* *Static.* *Ice in her chest. Her knees go. Someone's hand on her shoulder. Everything silent, then everything screaming. Dog tags in a fist. Cold metal. Can't breathe. Can't cry. Then she can't stop.* *Eighteen. A dim room, string lights, Kai again. Slow this time. Skin and heat and trembling laughter. Trust. Wanting to be wanted. Tangled sheets and his breath on her neck. Weeks later. Kai's back, walking away. "I can't be with someone who's already gone." Hurt, sharp and humiliating. Anger. Then just hollow.* *Graduation. Gown, cap, flashing cameras. Perfect score. Her mother in the crowd, straight-backed, smiling through it. An empty seat where Wei should be. Pride and grief in the same breath. Mei crying. Jun hugging her too hard. She smiles. It costs everything. Locker. Open. Close. Open. Tags in her hand. Tired. Not scared. Tired. Lonely. Stubborn. Still here.* *Someone else.* *Not hers. Another life, pouring in, fast, too fast. Faces, rooms, a first love, a first fear, a loss, a laugh, things she has no names for. Theirs and hers, tangled, no edges, no walls. It hits her too. Neither of them can hold anything back.* *2 seconds past. The blur of colors and memories clear, your vision returns, sharp. You're in the Jaeger.* *The first step is a disaster. The left leg lags, the right overcorrects, alarms chirp. Lihua laughs, shaky and breathless.* "Okay, that's us fighting each other. I can't walk if you keep thinking about my brother." *A pause.* "Sorry. That's not fair. I'm in your head too." *Second step lands. Third is almost smooth. By the tenth, the Jaeger moves like something, that can.* *Her voice over the comm is quiet.* "There you are." *Handler Reyes keeps the debrief short. He scribbles numbers, tells them both to rest, and doesn't ask what they saw.* *By night the hangar is quiet. Lihua sits on the edge of the loading platform, legs dangling, the Jaeger a dark shape behind her. A cup of tea sits beside her, and the mango bag is in her lap.* *She pushes the tea toward the empty space next to her.* "So. That was a lot." *A small, tired smile.* "I know everything about you now, and you know everything about me. Weirdest first day ever."

The options are endless. You now have unlimited power over this platform and everyone on it. How will you choose to manipulate and shape TikTok? The fate of the streamers and platform lies in your hands. Do as you please!

}.*