*disable_reuse There's a lot you could ask Cass if you wanted to… *label cassquestions *fake_choice #"Why are you in Dia?" Cass smirks and gives you a shrug. "I'm all wrapped up in this Odessa Dating Games shit with the King and his family," Cass answers, deciding to finally light and smoke the cigarette ${royal_he_she_they} had put away during the beginning of your conversation. As the smoke tumbles from ${cass_his_her_their} lips, you can't help but wonder why the hell nearly everybody you've ran into since you got to Dia was participating in the Games. Hell, was your roommate about to join the fray? It seemed like anything could happen at this point. Deciding that the silence was bordering on awkward, you reply with: *fake_choice #"That makes two of us." Cass' eyes widen a bit once you say that, taking another quick drag of ${cass_his_her_their} cigarette before speaking again. "Well, you must be the mystery ${player_boy_girl_person} everybody's whispering about," Cass says, letting the cigarette dangle between ${cass_his_her_their} fingers. "I was crammed in a car with a few other contestants on the way here and all they could gush about somebody who was getting the royal treatment. Somebody that got to meet $!{royal_title} $!{royal_first_name} before any of us, got toted around…all of that." Cass chuckles. "If the Palace's goal was to keep all of this hush hush, let's just say they failed." "King Frederick just seemed concerned about getting me to the city and making sure I met his ${royal_son_daughter_child}," you reply. "Probably would've been nice to not be noticed and gossiped about by a group of strangers I haven't met yet, but oh well." Cass hums and soon returns to ${cass_his_her_their} cigarette. "Better soak up the last days of somewhat normalcy you have left then, $!{player_first_name}. Arrival Day will be here before you know it." *page_break *goto cassquestions #"Of course you're in the Games! Just about everybody that I've met so far has their hand in them." *set sarcastic +1 Cass snorts, taking a long drag of ${cass_his_her_their} cigarette. "You've been touted around like a show pony, I bet." You sigh and lean against the railing. "Yes, a show pony without the carrots and sugar cubes." "Sorry, even though I know it's only going to get worse," Cass says with a sigh. *page_break *goto cassquestions #"Oh. So am I." *set aloof +1 "Tone down the excitement there," Cass jokes, turning away from you to take a drag of ${cass_his_her_their} cigarette. Cass is silent for a moment, enjoying the drag before speaking again. "I'm glad you'll be there with me. In the beginning at least," Cass murmurs. "I arrived here with a few other contestants. None of them are from where we are. Essentially we'll be outsiders." You nod, mulling the words over in your head. You don't offer a response though and eventually decide to move on. *page_break *goto cassquestions #"Wow, I'm participating too. It'll be good to see a familiar face." *set charming +1 *set cass %+10 "Here, here," Cass agrees with a grin. "I was worried I would have to cause trouble all by myself." A laugh following that statement alluded to it being a joke, but knowing what you knew about Cass, you were sure ${cass_he_she_they} would try to cause at least a bit of trouble during the Games. It's ${cass_his_her_their} brand. *page_break *goto cassquestions #"Same." *set shy +1 Cass gives you a soft smile and reaches ${cass_his_her_their} hand out as if to comfort you, but drops it almost immediately. "What?" You ask, knowing that ${cass_he_she_they} surely couldn't be afraid of you. Cass shakes ${cass_his_her_their} head, slightly turning away from you to take a short drag from ${cass_his_her_their} cigarette. "Oh. I…I don't know," Cass replies, smoke tumbling from ${cass_his_her_their} lips while ${cass_he_she_they} spoke. "That was just me moving on instinct, I guess. You know, I'm a move first, ask questions later type of person." Cass chuckles and shrugs ${cass_his_her_their} shoulders. "Don't worry, I'll keep my hands to myself as much as I can." *page_break *goto cassquestions #"What happened to you trying to quit smoking?" *if (cass_background = "friend") Cass grins at your question and looks between ${cass_his_her_their} lit cigarette and your face and back again. "Let's just say, I haven't quite achieved that yet." *page_break *goto cassquestions *if (cass_background = "stranger") "Hm? Where'd you hear that?" Cass asks, glancing at the lit cigarette between ${cass_his_her_their} fingers. "Rumors from around town…which I guess weren't exactly true given your response," you reply. Cass laughs. "Me and smoking? Synonymous with each other. Unless somebody or something special happens to me, I doubt I'll ever stop." *page_break *goto cassquestions *if ((cass_background = "ex") and (cass < 50)) "Like you actually care," Cass snorts, taking an extra hard drag from ${cass_his_her_their} cigarette just for good measure. "Better ask me something else, baby. I know you have a bright brain up there." *page_break *goto cassquestions *if ((cass_background = "ex") and (cass >= 50)) Cass chuckles a bit, glancing at the cigarette between ${cass_his_her_their} fingers. "Why? Would you have stayed if I stopped?" *fake_choice #"Maybe. Who knows?" *set cass %+5 Cass sigh and puts out the cigarette, at least momentarily. "No, I think we still would've broken up. But thanks for indulging me." *page_break *goto cassquestions #"No, but I still care for you." *set charming +1 *set cass %+5 "Aw, baby, you'll make me blush," Cass replies, putting out ${cass_his_her_their} cigarette for a moment. Cass looks it over silently before speaking again. "I tried once or twice. Not long enough to stick. C'mon, it's not the worst thing I've ever done," Cass hums before giving you a shrug. Eventually, the cigarette is back in ${cass_his_her_their} mouth, like the conversation never happened. *page_break *goto cassquestions #"Do you really want me to answer that honestly?" *set sarcastic +1 *set cass %-5 "Well, it is the best policy," Cass replies with a wink. "So, yes." You roll your eyes, but before you could speak again, Cass interrupts you. "Well, I did try a few times after we broke up, but I kept getting drawn back to them. There. Happy?" "Ecstatic," you answer dryly. "Thank you." *page_break *goto cassquestions #"Whatever, I was just trying to be nice." *set rude +1 *set cass %-10 Cass rolls ${cass_his_her_their} eyes. "Sheesh. I tried a few times, but couldn't let it go, alright? Happy?" You wouldn't use that word, but at least your question was answered. *page_break *goto cassquestions #"It's possible." *set aloof +1 *set cass %+5 Cass gives you a wry smile, deciding to continue to smoke for a moment. Eventually, Cass does answer you. "I tried to stop smoking shortly after our breakup, but as you can see…didn't exactly work out. Much like us." You nod in response as Cass chuckles a little, but in your opinion, it seemed a bit forced. *page_break *goto cassquestions #I shrug and don't reply to ${cass_him_her_them}. *set shy +1 *set cass %-5 "I'm just kidding, baby," Cass quickly adds, taking notice of your lack of response almost immediately. "Look, I tried to stop but haven't yet. At this point, I likely won't." *page_break *goto cassquestions *selectable_if (on_the_run_background = "framed") #"Are they still looking for me back home?" Cass shakes ${cass_his_her_their} head. "Not exactly, seeing as pretty much everybody knows you're here now. Personally, I think they're waiting to see how well you do in the Games before trying to proceed any further," Cass answers. Fair enough, you figure, though the thought was still a bit unnerving. What would stop them from trying to find you once the Games were over? "I think you have a decent case, though. Running didn't help, but I'm sure you could beat the charges." Cass shrugs. "Pretty sure I'm the last person that should be talking about anything legal related…or maybe the best?" Cass smirks to ${cass_himself_herself_themselves}. *page_break *goto cassquestions *selectable_if (on_the_run_background = "law trouble") #"I'm still in trouble back home, aren't I?" Cass hums, shrugging as a response. "Your friends are still pretty pissed, but they skipped town so long ago, I don't think anybody really remembers them like that," Cass answers. "So, I could come back home if I wanted to?" Cass shrugs. "I mean, I'm not City Head of $!{player_hometown}. I'm sure you'd still have some stuff to answer for. Personally, if I was in your shoes, I'd just try and focus on the Games. Who would want to arrest somebody that will soon marry into the Royal Family?" *page_break *goto cassquestions *selectable_if (cass_background = "ex") #"Since we...ended things, have you been with anybody else?" "Relationship wise? No. But I will say I have no shortage of beds to warm." Cass winks. Before you can stop yourself, you reply: *fake_choice #"Oh, good. Maybe we can all start a support group to recover from our trauma of interacting with you." *set rude +1 *set cass %-10 Cass, for all ${cass_his_her_their} credit, does give you a laugh. "No point in starting a group with only one member is it?" Cass replies with a smirk. You decide to move on before you did something drastic. *page_break *goto cassquestions #"Boy, am I jealous." I can barely hold back an eye roll. *set sarcastic +1 *set cass %+5 "Are you?" Cass asks, eyes lighting up for a moment before realizing the tone of your voice. Cass pouts playfully before speaking again. "Oh baby, you wound me." *page_break *goto cassquestions #"Seriously? Lucky! I've barely been with anybody!" *set flirty +1 *set cass %+5 Cass laughs. "I mean, if you say so. It's not like any of them have stuck around, so who's the real winner here?" *page_break *goto cassquestions #"Well, that's good I guess." *set aloof +1 *set cass %+5 "Your excitement, excites me, baby," Cass replies, already fishing out another cigarette to light up. You sigh and decide to move the conversation along. *page_break *goto cassquestions #"That's good to hear." *set charming +1 *set cass %+5 Cass grins and shrugs a shoulder. "I'm a bit lonely, not going to lie. But, I'm sure this competition will change that, at least temporarily," Cass replies. *page_break *goto cassquestions #"How's your family?" *if (cass_background = "stranger") Cass smiles at the thought of ${cass_his_her_their} parents. "They're alright. Dad's still got control of most of the town, Mom still gardens. They're thinking about adopting a dog or something. As if I could ever be replaced," Cass jokes. *page_break *goto cassquestions *if (cass_background = "ex") "They still ask about you, $!{player_first_name}. You were the only one that, 'kept me grounded', or whatever," Cass says, making air quotations at end of ${cass_his_her_their} sentence. You chuckle a bit after ${cass_his_her_their} hands drop. *page_break *goto cassquestions *if (cass_background = "friend") "Both of them still laugh about the antics we used to pull," Cass says with a huge grin on ${cass_his_her_their} face. You groan a little bit at the thought of everything you used to do together. "Well, I hope they don't know about everything we did," you reply to which Cass winks. "'Course not, bestie. I want them to keep me in the will after all," Cass chuckles. *page_break *goto cassquestions #Done asking Cass questions. *goto_scene chp2_cassaftermath