Let Me Go Gravity - The Reaper's Game CYOA

C. Chris's sexy beard.
A.

A.

Although I feel like it's gonna come back to bite us later.

"I...would like to know more about you guys." Mike said.

Spencer deflated. "Oh come on bro." CC nudged him in the side and he was quiet.

"Then it's settled." Zachi said firmly. "Let's play two truths one lie."

Sparkles raised an eyebrow. "And that is...?"

Zachi continued. "We each say three things about ourselves. Two of them are true, one is a lie. The group has to decide which is a lie, and if we get it wrong then you win. Otherwise you lose."

"Not exactly a convincing play. You're assuming everyone will answer honestly." Chris noted.

"Yes I am." Zachi replied, "Is there any reason to assume otherwise?"

CC looked at Spencer, who shrugged. "Sure I'll play," he said, "But you'll get what you get."

"It has to be about yourself." Mike reminded everyone, "so don't go saying the sky is blue or something dumb like that."

"Naturally." Sparkles said, rolling her eyes. She distracted herself for a moment, and gave Jesus a nudge. "Hey, pay attention. We're doing things" she muttered.

Jesus meticulously placed a bookmark, shut his book, and turned to join the rest. He signed something to Sparkles, who nodded in reply. "Yeah, I'll translate for Jesus....if I can." She said.

"And So-yeon can use our group chat, right?" Zachi asked. The question wasn't directed at the girl sitting beside Chris, but her attention was. So-yeon sat up uncomfortably straighter when she heard her name, as if someone was calling her out, and nodded.

"So we're good." Zachi announced. "Who's first?"

---

Mike:
 1. "I'm an only child."
 2. "I was born here in Vancouver"
 3. "My bike isn't actually a Psych."

Zachi:
 1. "I'm graduating from University this year."
 2. "I've written fanfiction online."
 3. "I enjoy chai tea."

Sparkles:
 1. "Everything I'm currently wearing is designer label."
 2. "My entry fee took my memories so trying to think of something to say here is very hard."
 3. "...I'm 32B"

Jesus (As translated by Sparkles):
 1. "He has a...no, he likes playing sports. Football."
 2. "....he was born in Vancouver."
 3. "He's interested in....'Ah-fas-ia'...?" (Here Jesus had Sparkles read a word she didn't know out of his textbook)

CC:
 1. "My full name is Claudia Christiana Concetta Caselli"
 2. "I've never lost a gymnastics tournament."
 3. "I'm home schooled."

Spencer:
 1. "I was NOT born in Vancouver."
 2. "I just finished high school."
 3. "My Psych is origami paper because I'm actually a huge craft nerd."

Chris:
 1. "My entry fee was my ability to lie so I can't really play this game properly."
 2. "I'm 20 years old."
 3. "My Psych is actually a bracelet."

So-yeon:
 1. I am a high school senior
 2. I perform on stage sometimes
 3. I have a crush on someone right now

---

Guess what. The audience gets to play. Your vote this time is to determine which statement from each person is a lie. Whatever the majority agrees on, the group will eventually reach that conclusion, correct choice or not, and the appropriate consequences will follow.

And if you don't feel like putting that much effort into this (though I really hope you do), there are default conclusions that will help in tie-breaking.

Have fun!

Oh, and here's a copy-paste template:

Mike:
Zachi:
Sparkles:
Jesus:
CC:
Spencer:
Chris:
So-yeon:

Mike: 2
Zachi: 3
Sparkles: 1
Jesus: 1
CC: 2
Spencer:1
Chris: 1
So-yeon: 3

"Alright, let's start with Sparkles."

Everyone looked at Spencer, who was speaking.

"Because you kinda gave it away," he continued, "The bra size is the lie."

"Is that your final answer?" Sparkles said while raising an eyebrow.

Chris tilted his head towards Jesus, "You know?" he asked. Jesus shrugged in reply.

"Why would he know what I'm wearing?" Sparkles retorted, "It's not like he'd ask."

Jesus raised an eyebrow at that. Anyways, Mike spoke up.

"It's as good a guess as any. Although I'm pretty sure the girls would have something to say about guessing you uh...size."

Zachi rolled her eyes, "It's not like girls have psychic breast senses. Let's move on. Bra size is the lie?"

There were nods of agreement.

Sparkles smirked, held up her hand, and pointed to her middle finger. Or more specifically, the ornate ring on it.

"This thing is most certainly not designer label. Gotcha."

Chris chuckled.

"Oh that's cheating!" Spencer groaned.

"And I checked my bra size when I thought we needed to actually wear lingerie for yesterday's mission, so I do in fact know it." Sparkles continued, "But anyways...I think Spencer is lying about having graduated."

---

"Well, I know he's 17," CC chimed in, "so he's the right age for that."

"Traitor." Spencer coughed, albeit jokingly.

"I don't know," Zachi said, "Age doesn't mean a whole lot when it comes to school."

"But knowing this guy, he'd lay bait like that." Mike added.

"Is anyone else questioning that he's a craft type of guy?" Chris asked.

Mike took a look at Spencer. "No, not really. I'd buy that. But he'd admit it just to throw us off."

Sparkles shrugged, "Let's just have everyone agree with me. Aye?"

...

"Aye!"

"Sure why not."

Jesus and Zachi shrugged simultaneously.

Spencer rolled his eyes, "Oh gee thanks guys. Wrong! I did, in fact, graduate last month, and I was born in Quebec. No, my psych is not about a hobby. I'm offended you'd think of me that way, honestly!"

---

Zachi sat unfazed by the sarcasm, "0 for 2. We're doing excellently...." But then she pointed at Chris, "If your entry fee really was your ability to tell lies, then you would have to be coping with sudden enforced honesty. But you're not showing any mannerisms that would imply that you have to deal with a fundamental shift in behavior, which makes it very difficult to believe that you're telling the truth about telling the truth.

Mike laughed in his head, "Well when you put it like that..."

"I agree with Ms. Science!" CC cheered.

Chris shrugged, "Alright you got me. Worth a shot. But what about you Zachi? You don't look old enough for university."

"She's smart enough though," Mike said, "But between two and three...I feel like you guys should guess without me."

Zachi bowed her head. "An unneeded gesture, but thank you."

---

Sparkles hesitantly raised a hand half-way, "Um. What's...fanfiction?"

Everyone paused and kind of just...looked at her.

"What?" Sparkles said, holding her hands up defensively, "I lost my memories, ok?"

"But you can make a 'Who wants to be a Millionaire' reference?" Spencer asked.

Sparkles shrugged and grimaced, "...I guess? I don't know! I just know that's not a familiar word!"

"It's when you write stories spinning off of other fictional works." Mike explained

"Like if you wrote a story about...I dunno...the adventures of Mr. Mew the Tin Pin Master." Spencer added with a shrug.

"It's a fangirl thing." CC added. Then she glanced at Zachi again, "I think it's the tea."

"Yeah the tea" Chris supported.

"Tea" Spencer said.

Zachi nodded, "And you'd be right. I hate chai."

---

Mike grinned, "So we're even. Not bad."

"Hey, what kind of fanfiction?" Spencer asked, "Slash fic- OW!" CC elbowed him in the side quite hard. Her skinny elbows were pointy and jabbed between ribs very well.

"Mike," Zachi said, ignoring Spencer, "I'm of the opinion that you actually have siblings."

"Oh are you? What do the rest of you say?"

"See, that's how you cover your partner, maybe not so obviously though." Spencer said, rubbing his ribs.

Sparkles coughed. "Well to be blunt...I don't see many black people around here. A few, but not many."

"Not much of a lead," Chris said, "But seeing as he can use his psychs separated from his bicycle I'm going to say that one was a truth."

"Should we flip a coin?" CC asked. And Mike was pretty sure she was serious.

"What do you think Jesus?" Sparkles asked. Jesus held up two fingers. Sparkles's eyes drifted towards So-yeon, who had been very quiet this whole time, but she held up two fingers as well.

Spencer stretched a bit, "Alright, I'll say number two as well. You aren't from around here, are you Mike?"

Mike grinned, "Yeah, you got me. I'm from California."

"You're American?" CC asked

"No, he meant California, Australia." Zachi replied, straight faced.

"...is there a California in Australia?" Sparkles asked.

Spencer face-palmed. "No. That's called a joke!"

"There's a Vancouver in Washington." Chris added. "Not hard to believe."

---

But then something occurred to Zachi, who raised her hand for attention.

"Who was born here?" She asked the crowd.

Everyone paused and looked around. Only Jesus had his hand raised.

Sparkles spoke up, ""Well...I wouldn't know..." she said, "But I would think I was born in Asia. Wait, Jesus, wasn't one of your things being born here?"

He nodded.

"So...are you confirming that's a truth or carrying out the lie?"

He nodded again.

"To which one?"

He nodded again.

Spencer chuckled, the followed with "Well, I'll be the first to say he doesn't have the build for football."

CC nodded in agreement.

Chris tilted his head, "Wait, do you mean football as in what they call Soccer here, or as in American Football?"

Jesus nodded in agreement. Mike liked this guy a bit more.

"Alright, let's settle." Mike decided, "Football?

"Sure."

"Yeah, I'm in"

Jesus waited for more replies...but then shook his head, and held up two fingers. He got up and made a few dribbling and kicking motions before sitting back down.

"Real football it is." Chris clarified. Jesus gave him a thumbs up.

"So you weren't born here." Zachi said as a matter-of-fact.

Jesus nodded. Sparkles elbowed him, but he elbowed back, giving her a look. He signed a few things.

"He says he was born in...um..." Sparkles said, trying to decipher.

Zachi leaned in closer to look. "Sign to me" She said. And Jesus did. Mike didn't know what was going on but it looked like he was just spelling things out.

"Venezuela?"

Jesus nodded one final time.

---

"Huh, alright then...that's so weird." Zachi said, while thinking, "I was born in Boston, but my parents moved here really young.

"I was born in Toronto." CC said.

"I lived in Glasgow until I was six." Chris added

"So what's the deal?" Mike asked, "We're all from out of town in one way or another. Just a neat coincidence."

*bzz bzz bzz*

Zachi was going to say something in return, but then everyone's phones buzzed simultaneously...which was usually a sign of something Game related. Cases flipped open and screens lit up.

*tap tap tap*

I'm from South Korea.

Oh, phew, it's just So-yeon.

"As I was going to say," Zachi continued, putting her phone away, "It's a bit extreme of a coincidence..."

Spencer shrugged. "Fine by me. But back to the game at hand...I don't think Minnie Mouse there is a performer, sorry to say."

So-yeon stuck her tongue out at him.

Mike looked at Zachi, who seemed to still be thinking about something, and then replied back to Spencer. "Her Psych is a freaking microphone man. That's gotta mean something."

"And she lost her voice," Chris added.

"I'm sure her voice sounds awesome if we could only hear it!" CC interjected.

Sparkles turned her eyes towards So-yeon's, who was trying to avoid them in return "So if not the performance...I'm thinking the crush bit is the lie. It's too obvious not to be."

"I'll go in with that." Spencer said.

"Alright."

"Sure."

Eyes turned to So-yeon. Her eyes went down into her phone.

*tap tap tap*

*bzz bzz bzz*

Sorry~ I'm actually in grade 11.

"Oh really? So who's your crush on?" Spencer asked immediately. CC elbowed him again.

His phone buzzed. He checked it.

"Well that's a mean thing to say."

---

"Lemme see" CC leaned over.

"No. Private message." Spencer said, holding his phone away so that CC would lean further, and fall over on top of him. They both laughed a bit.

"CC's the last one, right?" Chris asked.

"Yeah," Mike replied, "So...full name, homeschool, or...uh what again?"

"I said I've never lost a gymnastics tournament!" CC said as Spencer helped her sit back up.

Sparkles spoke, "I think that one is too obvious."

"The gymnastics?" Zachi clarified, "No. I think it's obvious, but CC is an obvious person."

"Hey!"

"I said obvious, not oblivious."

"Oh....wait, hey!"

Chris shrugged, "I'll go with the gymnastics bit. We good?"

Nods all around.

CC smiled, "Ha! I've never even been in a gymnastics tournament. So naturally I've never lost one. My name is Claudia Caselli. Just CC, not C4."

"You're still pretty dynamite though." Spencer chimed in.

Mike snorted.

---

"So...how'd we do?"

"Three right, five wrong" Zachi summed up.

"So we failed. Awesome." Spencer groaned.

"Well the point is that we know each other a bit better." Chris added, "And on that note I'd call it a success. Thank you Zachi."

"Yeah, pretty cool." Sparkles added.

"Yep!"

"Good idea."

...

Everyone went quiet for a bit, having run out of things to say.

"I guess...another mission tomorrow" Sparkles observed.

Chris nodded, "But I get the feeling the Reapers haven't dealt with eight players working together before. If we stick together, we'll all get through this."

"And come back to life, right!?" CC asked.

Chris frowned, "There's...no guarantee. You have to earn it. The Composer, the one who runs the Game, ultimately decides."

"What does he decide based on?" Spencer asked, attention focused.

"That's one thing even I don't know...but I do know survival through all seven days is necessary." Chris responded wearily.

Sparkles chimed in. "So what can you tell us? Like are there any other power-ups like those Fusion Pins we can get?"

Meanwhile, Mike was talking softly with Zachi.

"You know, I did say I'd tell you my story today. Because you shared yesterday. If you're still interested." Mike said to Zachi.

Zachi looked at the group, then back to Mike.

A) Stay with the group
B) Hear Mike out.

B, because NORA

Zachi got up and stretched a bit.

"If we're not being sent to sleep yet, I'm going to try and find lunch."

She turned and walked away.

Mike took a few seconds, during which Zachi could have silently judged him but didn't since she was being nice.

"Hey, wait up!"

He got up and jogged after her.

---

CC turned her head back to the group.

"I'd ship it."

Sparkles blinked. "...Ship what?"

Spencer opened his mouth and Chris groaned.

---

The sun was high in the sky, and there was a cruise ship in port, so plenty of tourists populated the waterfront. Mike and Zachi walked along the pier that just moments ago they saw in ruin, invisible to all but each other.

"So where were we?"

"You live alone."

"Right, that." Mike said, eyes wandering across the water.

"So it's like this. I lived in Los Angeles up until a year ago. I got into this huge fight with my parents, like I'm talking...there was property damage. Anyways, they decided I needed to learn some responsibility or something. So they sent me to Canada."

"What did you do?"

"I uh...intentionally sabotaged my college entrance exams. Then drove the car into the pool."

"...What?"

"I forgot to take it out of reverse..."

"No, the entrance exam part. Those are expensive to waste."

"Oh, and the car and pool aren't?"

Mike leaned on the railing, looking over the water. A seaplane was landing. Zachi took up the same position next to him.

"This might be weird to you," he said, "but not everyone wants to go to college. At least, not the ones your parents have been forcing down your throat since you could read. I said I wanted to make my own choices in life, but they said I didn't know how and...yeah things escalated quickly."

"That was very stupid of you."

"I know."

"So what happened next?" Zachi asked. "After your vehicular aquacide?"

...Was that a joke?

"Oh um...they decided that I needed to learn responsibility. So I was dropped at the airport with a one-way ticket, and house key. Next thing you know, I'm Canadian. They gave me a bank account with enough money to eat for a while, but I had to get a job, and like, finish high school too. So...yeah, that's been my life for the past year. And I got a cat."

"Why?"

"I like cats and my dad was allergic."

"Hm. Logical enough I suppose."

They both went silent for a while.

---

"So...me and Jesus is a ship?" Sparkles asked.

"No no no! Well, maybe." CC looked at Spencer. "Do we ship them?"

Spencer shook his head, "Naw. They don't click like that."

"Oh ok. Wait, hey!" Sparkles yelled. Jesus, who was previously looking up, looked back down to his book quickly. CC giggled.

---

"What are you thinking about?" Mike asked Zachi, breaking the silence.

"Guess."

"You're trying to figure out what question to ask next, so that I give you the information you want without reacting badly to the probing." Mike replied.

"No." Zachi said plainly, "I'm trying to see if I can empathize with you. I've always been on good terms with my parents. Always had a family to come home to. I'm trying to figure out how bad your life situation is and how to act accordingly."

Mike let a small smile come out. Sometimes it's ok to be wrong.

"Eeeh, I'm sure some people would find my position liberating. But you know what? My parents were kind of right. I don't know how to make life choices. School's done. I didn't go for any post-secondary, so now I'm just...floating."

"You have a job?"

"Cycle shop. It keeps food on the table. I do repairs and mods."

"You could become a mechanic."

"Ha, right. I've heard that before. But that means more school. And loans and more money stuff. I have enough trouble doing bills. And besides...If I did that, I'd want to know that I'd be doing that for me. If you know what I mean."

"I don't."

"It's like..." Mike drifted off, eyes focusing on the horizon, "It feels like everything I've done in life has been chosen for me by other people, since I was a kid. They told me what toys I could play with. I was put into a private school, and parents advised me who to be friends with. They told me what classes to take and extra-curriculars to join. They tried to decide my college, and when I disagreed they stranded me here. I had no say in any of that. If I'm going to hone in on some future career...I need to know that I'm doing it because I want it. Not because other people think it's a good idea."

"Ah." Zachi said, some idea striking her, "So that's why your entry fee was your cat."

"Hm?"

"You bought a cat. The first choice you made for yourself."

Mike laughed out loud, "Oh that's just great! Now my cat defines me!"

"At least it wasn't your eyes." Zachi said, mindfully.

"Yeah...good point."

They both let silence fill the air again.

---

"So wait. Ship is just, you pair anyone you want?" Sparkles inquired again.

"Yeah pretty much. Mostly for fictional characters though. Like you ship Kirk and Spock." Spencer replied.

"Can I ship you and Chris?"

Spencer raised an eyebrow and sat up a bit straighter, then shuddered a bit. "Uh...no. Ew."

CC giggled some more. Meanwhile So-yeon poked Chris, who was lying back.

"I'm seeing if I can fall asleep already." Chris murmured. 

---

"You're very mindful." Zachi said at last.

"What do you mean by that?" Mike asked back.

"You observe and think about people. You're rational, and you can figure people out. I'm wondering how that same person drove a car into a pool."

"I was younger then." Mike said quickly. Zachi gave him a look.

"No really!" Mike continued, "Since coming here...I've noticed people. Like in LA everyone is so fake. But here, you see real people, just living their lives. And they've got things going on. And you can tell that just by watching them. I dunno. I just found that kind of fascinating."

"Hm. Maybe your parents were onto something." Zachi said softly.

"Yeah...maybe." Mike said, thoughts wandering.

...

"You talk to them at all?" she asked.

"Not since I left." he replied

...

"Do you want a hug?" Zachi asked, turned to face Mike openly.

Mike smiled. 

"Uh...ah sure. That'd be nice."

End of Day 4.

A. Always the best choice.