The Dating Sim: Remastered

And I'm stuck sitting in a small room with nothing to do but make sure Grandma's staying still and updating.

C. It's an important life skill.

I vote this whatever Digi just voted.

A because honesty is the best policy. Besides it Somnis she would want us to be honest with her right right??


I know this vote has no chance in hell of winning.

I am not following for that trick again.

So I am waiting for Digi and/or Kitty and/or Cipher.

I already screwed this up.

The ol' "do exactly what I said with no changes or gimmicks."  Oldest trick in the book.

Kiran tries to enjoy himself, but so many people are in a bad mood, it's kind of hard.  Fortunately, Somnis gets everyone together for a big speech near midnight.

"Hey everyone!" Somnis calls.  "Alright, so...  Jeez, where to even begin?  I'm guessing most of you know about the otherworld already.  Some of you... probably don't, but people I trust wanted to bring you in to help."  Somnis glances at that kinda-weird girl Natsumi hangs out with a lot - Leia? - and Mattea.  "And some of you got invited because someone didn't get the memo about not using this as a way to pick up chicks."  This time, Arcadia gets the look.

"So, uh...  Everyone who doesn't know about or believe in the otherworld, sorry.  But we've got a lot of stuff to talk about so you're just going to have to hold the disbelief until the portals open up at midnight, K?"  Somnis cheerfully bounces on the balls of her feet.  "Alright.  Let's... start with Saturday.  Katie and Fox wandered into a dangerous situation, and I got turned to stone trying to save them.  A lot of you worked together to save us, so... thanks.  Alice, Levi, Morgan, Tom, Dewey, Tai, Natsumi, Buttons... and two others we haven't met.  You all saved us three, and the Soul Guardian, as well.  Um, right.  Guardians are, like... the big strong monsters that oversee each zone in the otherworld.  And they all have these really strong things called Guardian Souls.  Someone's after them, so... we sorta took the Soul Guardian, disguised her as a human, and, well... hid her.  In our world."  Somnis gestures to the head buried at her side.

"Hi!" Tia calls out cheerfully.  "Normally I'd be a giant snake, but I can't really maintain my true form outside the Soul Labyrinth."

"Yes, you would.  Unfortunately, someone who was supposed to be watching her blew her disguise because he thought it was an OK thing to talk about in the middle of a F***ING ICE CREAM SHOP!"  Somnis glares towards Kiran and Arcadia.  Everyone immediately knows which one she's looking at.

"...Sorry," Kiran says to no one in particular.

"Well...  Let's talk about Alice."

"Ugh..." Tom groans.

"Alice was leading one of the teams that helped save us.  She's been secretly investigating the otherworld with Tom.  She saved me.  She helped me hide Tia - Lamia - by enrolling her in school.  It's, uh... why she skipped the speech Monday..."  Somnis looks guilty.  "Maybe that's what gave her away..."  She sighs.  "You all know that she's in the hospital.  She, uh...  Someone grabbed her and tossed her into the otherworld without a Soul Key.  Which...  Yeah.  She's going to be OK, but she was really hurt.  I don't think we can rely on her being around to help with this current problem.  I should... point out that this happened to Natsumi, as well, back before school started."

"Yeah...  I would've died if Buttons hadn't found my notes and tracked me down..." Natsumi admits.

Buttons...  No one can read his expression under his hood, but he looks away.

"OK, so!"  Somnis claps and bounces again.  In contrast with her cheerful demeanor, she isn't smiling.  At all.  "Current disaster!  One of the Guardians is trying to gather all of the souls because she thinks she needs them to ward off some disaster that she foresaw in the starts.  That lady is named Mercia.  And she looks like an angel.  And she already has several souls.  If you see her, whatever you do, do not try to fight her.  She can't collect more souls herself thanks to the otherworld Beasts, but... that's not important right now.  What is important is that she's kidnapped Laura, the Wrestling team captain.  And is going to kill her in two weeks' time if we don't trade her the Fire Soul.  But he lives in the Magma Scar.  For those who don't know, that portal's in the Fire Station.  But Fox, Katie, Dewey and I already tried to investigate it.  There's a lot of lava and fire and we can't safely explore that area, much less figure out whether to talk to the Fire Guardian or fight him or try to rescue Laura who's being held there or..."

Kiran pats Somnis on the shoulder.  She gasps and calms down.  She was... starting to freak out.  "Ah... right.  So...  We're here to collect some items that will let us make fire-resistant armor.  You should all split up into smaller groups for this.  It's more manageable.  So, uh...  Groups of 5, please!"

A portal blinks into existence beside her.

"...Before we begin, are there any questions?" Somnis asks.

Somnis and Tia look like they're going to be leading one of the groups.  Natsumi and Buttons look like they plan to lead another.  Fox and Katie are standing together and don't look like they want to break up.  Tom looks to his side and then to the ground.  Sadly.

(A) Go stand with Somnis and Tia.
(B) Go hang with Natty and Buttons.
(C) Fox and Katie need a friend.
(D) Oh, but Tom needs a friend more.
(E) Oh right Arcadia can't see the portals yet.  Fix it before anything else.
(F) Ask a question (also what's the question?)