PALACE GAME: Round 3

[cultfavorite]

You open your eyes—

You're standing in the vast lobby of a corporate building, facing the reception desk, where a Team Galactic Grunt is stationed—she's currently on the phone, though, and occupied. A few other grunts move through the lobby, looking as if they're on their way to their next assignment. All of them look identical. And if you watch their paths for a while, none of them actually end up leaving the room.

The walls are a bright, metallic, sterile blue with white, and the floor is made up of gleaming silver metal tiles emblazoned here and there with a gold logo. The reception desk is slightly to your right, and to the left of that there are three doors in the far wall in front of you.

To the right of the reception desk, there's a little area with a vending machine, a large ottoman to sit on, a potted plant, and . . . a dotaku? With a face? It's sitting resting on the floor next to the vending machine, and it's staring right at you with those red eyes.

Directly to your right, closer to the front door, there is a glowing green circle on the floor with a sign on the wall next to it.

What will you d—

Wait. Your phone is buzzing. Whether or not you had it with you back in the prison, you do now, whether in your pocket, in your hand, whatever. It's on your person, and it's vibrating demandingly for attention. If you choose to ignore it, a mechanical voice emanating from it begins literally saying the word buzz! buzzzzzz! buuuzzzzzz! in an increasingly irritated tone.

Check your phone?

Comments

[cultfavorite]

Take a look around you, lass! What wouldn't be better than this? Adventure! Money! Especially that last one!

[moonlit_knight]

Money is pretty great, true, but I'm currently paid very well so I dunno if you could afford me.

[Heading over to the vending machine to see what's in it and say hi to Bronzong]

[cultfavorite]

Oh, I wouldn't be the one paying you. I'm here to get paid myself! Same as anyone with a brain.

The vending machine has three buttons: Fresh Water, Soda Pop, and Lemonade, which are listed as costing 200, 300, and 350, respectively. But you don't have any money . . .

And next to it: it's Bronzong! It was fully at rest on the floor, but when approached, it lifts up off the ground and bobs in the air in acknowledgement. Its gaze is inscrutable, and it only emits a strange, croaking gong sound, rumbling through the air.

[moonlit_knight]

Best get to work then.

Hey Bronzong, how you doing?

[what if they push the button to try to get some lemonade anyway]

[cultfavorite]

Nothing happens! Bronzong bounces in the air, watching them closely with the machine. It can't answer the question in words, and it's far from the most expressive Pokemon Saturn has. What a bad choice for a companion, right.

[moonlit_knight]

[ehhh expressiveness is overrated]

Which of these would you recommend?

[cultfavorite]

It rises up in the air to tap the Lemonade button with one of its arms, turning to face them and bobbing as if nodding.

[moonlit_knight]

Good choice. Am I gonna have to battle someone to get cash for this?

[cultfavorite]

Bronzong shakes back and forth this time as if shaking its "head." It looks at Selena, then back at the machine, considering.

[moonlit_knight]

No? You got any ideas for getting one then?

[cultfavorite]

The machine is suddenly shaken with a psychic force, as Bronzong stares at it. Clunk! A Lemonade falls out into the slot! When it doubt, always shake the machine, apparently.

[moonlit_knight]

[Laughs]

Thanks buddy. You want one too?

[cultfavorite]

The machine shakes again immediately, and another Lemonade falls out. That was apparently a yes.

[moonlit_knight]

[grabs the lemonade and cracks it open for bronzong]

[cultfavorite]

How does an ancient bronze bell even drink? Don't ask. It works somehow. Mere mortals weren't meant to understand. The lemonade is drained, somehow, and Bronzong twirls slowly in the air, as expressive as it ever gets.

[moonlit_knight]

Cheers.

[raises their can before taking a sip, what wholesome pokebonding]

So you busy here, or you wanna hang out with me while I explore?

[cultfavorite]

Bronzong drifts closer to their side. It seems to be willing to follow at least for the moment.

[moonlit_knight]

Happy to have you aboard. What say we look through one of these doors?

[looking over at the set of three, is there anything differentiating them]

[cultfavorite]

There are three doors here. Each is an automatic sliding metal double door, currently closed; the doors to the left and right are trimmed in a lit tube of neon yellow. The middle door is also trimmed in a tubular light, but the light seems to have gone out.

Above each door is a square LED panel, each showing nothing but a single emoji, though plenty large enough to make out what it is. From left to right, they are:

🧠 ❌ 💗

The middle door is flanked by two flat-topped chrome metal pedestals, short enough for the tops to be easily viewed; the dim black top of each is featureless right now, but they look reactive, like they might contain some kind of sensor technology. Not that there's anything on them for them to sense right now. It may be that something should sit there . . .

[moonlit_knight]

Oh look our first fetch quest.

[Let's do the heart door first]

[cultfavorite]

As you approach the door, it slides automatically open for you. The hallway beyond appears to lead down a hallway deeper into the building.

Enter?

Also, Bronzong will not be with you when you emerge. Maybe you'll be reunited . . . ?