mingle + apolopoints

[idolpro]

Who: You!
Where: Lobby/near the hotel
When: Day 147

[ You receive a text sometime today: ]

The following is a message from the administrative team.

As an apology to all of our idols affected by the maintenance, we would like to offer the following:

2,000 points have been distributed to your personal banks. You may check it on your cell phone.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.
Thank you for your understanding.

[ And sure enough, you've received 2k points for maintenance. Wowee… that's a lot of points! ]

Comments

[iamverybadass]

—That is it? They haven't even mentioned that we're in Hell? Actual Hell. With demons.

[mind_blown]

Oh yes, and that too.

"Welcome to Hell" was said no less than 4 times.

[iamverybadass]

That is not even the most important detail.

We are on a reality show in Hell. We will be forced to compete in games against each other—unit against unit. Some of these games are harmless nonsense, like social bingoes, party games, speed dating. Some are...more in line with your first and third memories.

... More and more of them have been like those recently.

[mind_blown]

For points.

At least, I'm assuming. Since everything else runs off that.

[not going to comment on the memory comparisons because, well. neither of those felt like games, so it's not worth extrapolating exactly what he means by that.]

[iamverybadass]

For points. For their entertainment.

... Attempting to throw the game, to sacrifice yourself is ill advised. You will not be healed or resurrected until you pay an additional penalty. And it will take the rest of your unit down with you.

[mind_blown]

What's the penalty?

[iamverybadass]

It varies. C lost his head while throwing a game. It never...mended... It is only held on with staples now. Or it may be an effect like mine.

[ Gestures at his fangs ]

But it is a corruption from Hell. It... This is only the physical manifestation of it. It's really a mark on your soul.

[mind_blown]

Didn't just about everyone get one of those on their little field trip recently?

[iamverybadass]

The ones you receive from dying are more often like C's. A permanent reminder of your death. And do not forget that you inflict them on the entire rest of your unit.

There is also the risk that you will simply remain dead. There's no guarantee that the demon down there will actually bother with any of you. And if you do that I will come after you.

[mind_blown]

Relax.

I’m not doing anything right now.

[he’s definitely listening though]

So, I’m guessing yours isn’t from death.

[iamverybadass]

Good.

[ He is not relaxing though. ]

Correct. Mine is from the "field trip" we all took. They weren't any price we paid, they just...happened.

[mind_blown]

There were a lot of people that just happened to, then.

[iamverybadass]

I know. I was there.

...

Some of them can be mental effects. One of my unitmates lost the ability to make her own decisions and was lucky that it settled into a physical form instead before we returned.

[mind_blown]

Yikes.

What about this place is special enough to stop that from happening here? This is all hell, right?

[iamverybadass]

As I said, we are on a reality show here. The Producers in control of it are two of Hell's princes, and they would prefer to keep us intact in order to keep ratings up. That's why as long as we remain here, corruptions are only a punishment.

It's more entertaining to watch humans suffer than it is to watch the Damned, I suppose.

[mind_blown]

I suppose.

[but wouldn't leaving them be counter productive, or is that the end goal: everyone is damned the end?]

[iamverybadass]

[ It's a mystery! And since they're in public, he's just continuing on instead of theorizing on that. ]

Next, never forget that this is a televised show. Unless you are in a dorm, you are always on camera. Do not say anything outdoors that you do not mind being overheard.

[mind_blown]

Noted.

[well, that's one good argument for going back to the dorms. He'd noticed the cameras everywhere except in the dead zone but.]

Seems like a hell of a loophole.

[iamverybadass]

It is a significant loop hole. I haven't managed to uncover the real reason for it yet.

[mind_blown]

Guess it's time to take a trip back to the dorms.

[iamverybadass]

Agreed. Do you prefer yours or mine?

[mind_blown]

Mine.

[said easily, as he stands up.

he, really, really, really does not want to run into another team.

anyway, he's just jumping down to the ground]

[iamverybadass]

[ Hops right down after him ]

Very well, but I prefer to enter from the balcony.

[mind_blown]

Fine by me.

[he pauses and glances at the balconies.

but what if people try to talk to him again]

[iamverybadass]

... [ manifests his wings ]

I can meet you up there if you would rather take the elevator.