*disable_reuse

[b] Chapter 2 [/b]

The words Odessa Dating Games have been echoing in your head for a while. 
    
"Hey, is $!{player_first_name} okay?" 
    
You hear Ross, no, Ryr, no…
    
You barely hear one of the guards ask $!{roommate_name} if you were alright due to the fog that the news put you in. 
    
“So let me get this straight, Ross-“
    
"Ross?"
    
You look up at Ryr, who was not pleased that you mistook him for the similar looking guard. Right, Ryr was the one with the lip ring. 

“It’s Ryr, but yeah, go ahead,” Ryr huffs out.
    
Ross rolls his eyes, fiddling with his own piercing. "Relax. We just turned $!{player_first_name}'s world upside down. Cut ${player_him_her_them} some slack," he says. 

"Ryr. Right. So…” You rub your eyes for what feels like the millionth time since Ryr and Ross broke the news to you. “So you’re saying that not only am I one of the profiles that matched with the $!{royal_title}, I have the highest percentage of compatibility with ${royal_him_her_them}?”

“Yep. 99 percent,” Ross confirms. “The compatibility was so high, the King almost came here himself. He couldn’t believe it!”

You’re very glad the King decided not to do that. You’re incredibly glad. This news was already shocking enough.

“We’ve been instructed to answer any questions you may have regarding the competition or anything else you can think of,” Ryr says, while Ross absentmindedly plays with his nose ring beside him. “It’s in your best interest to ask a decent amount, but if you don’t want to, it’s fine by us. Makes our job easier.”

*page_break

*label guardquestions
"Yeah, I want to know…"
*choice
    #“What are you guys? Cousins? Twins?”
        “Brothers,” Ryr and Ross answer in unison. After a beat, Ross continues. “I’m older by a year and a half.”

        “We often get confused as twins. We think it’s the uniforms and our near identical looks,” Ryr chuckles.
        *page_break
        *goto guardquestions

    #“What if I don’t want to enter this competition?”
        “I’m afraid you don’t have a choice,” Ryr says. “We’ve been instructed to invite you to join, but take you by force if necessary.”
        
        *fake_choice
            #"As if you guys could actually take me," I scoff. I've never fought guards before, but I've taken down other people with ease.
                *set brawn %+15
                Ross laughs nervously. "Yeah. We're actually just kidding on that part, $!{player_first_name}. But I hope you don't make us fight. These uniforms are showroom new."
                
                Ryr rolls his eyes and says nothing in response to his brother's words. 
                
                "Anyways. Moving on," he says eventually. 
                *page_break
                *goto guardquestions 
            #"You guys would never. I could easily talk you out of it," I yawn. 
                *set charisma %+15
                "Oh really?" Ross asks, more out of curiosity than anything. 
                
                "Really, Rossy-boy," you reply with a quick wink. 
                
                Ross' cheeks warm ever so slightly and he offers no come back. It appears to be a rare reaction, given Ryr's surprise. 
                
                "I…wow," he stammers out. "I do hope you actually come along. I could use you more often when Ross needs to shut up."
                
                That sentence snaps the other brother out of his thoughts.
                
                "Hey! Ryr, that's so mean-"
                
                "Right. Next question, $!{player_first_name}," Ryr interrupts with a barely concealed smile. 
                *page_break
                *goto guardquestions 
            #"Yeah, right," I reply, though I'm secretly nervous that they would actually do it. 
                *set morale %-10
                Ross smirks a bit. 
                
                "Don't worry, $!{player_first_name}. You have nothing to worry about. Really." 
                *page_break
                *goto guardquestions
            #I just roll my eyes, not believing their words for even one second. 
                *set bold %+10
                "Aw,  $!{player_first_name}…you couldn't have even indulged us for a little bit?" Ross whines. 
                
                "Absolutely not," you reply. 
                
                While Ross pouts a bit to himself, Ryr pinches at his forehead. 
                
                "Anyways, back to why we're here," he says in an effort to move on from his brother's actions. 
                *page_break
                *goto guardquestions
            #I swallow thickly and tighten my fists. Would they really do that?
                *set morale %-10
                "Relax, $!{player_first_name}. You have nothing to worry about. You'll be fine," Ross says with a large smile. "We haven't been that extreme in years."
                *page_break
                *goto guardquestions

    #“Why am I so compatible with the $!{royal_title}?
        “That’s a great question. According to the King, when he helped create the website, he wasn’t shooting for absolute compatibility, just something relatively high,” Ryr says. “You’re as high as they come though. The second highest number is 85, but that was among the first few profiles we singled out.”

        It was weird to you that a computer determined that you and a royal were so compatible. There’s not a lick of royal blood in your bloodline, yet here you were. 
        
        “The algorithm is pretty top secret. Only the most elite of the King’s development team know it and even they’re stumped. All the more reason why both him and others at court are eager to meet you,” Ross says, deciding to mess with his hair now instead of his lip ring.
    
        Maybe more of your questions can be answered by this website team. For now, you nod and decide to move on.
        *page_break
        *goto guardquestions


    #“What about my job? My apartment?”
        “Well, security will be looking out for your apartment while you’re competing,” Ross says, pulling out a tablet like device. He scrolls for a moment before looking back over at you. 

        “Your job is fine as well. We’ve already contacted them and you’re on a leave of absence. You will still have a position barring a marriage to somebody in the Royal Family,” Ross adds.

        “Oh! If you have a car or anything like that, you can take it with you,” Ryr says. “Dia is a lovely city. If you can go out and explore it during any downtime you may have, totally do it.”
        *page_break
        *goto guardquestions

    #“What will I be doing in this competition?”
        Ross and Ryr turn to each other and grin, borderline giddy about being asked this question, apparently.

        “Loads,” they say in unison.

        “You’ll be dancing, trying to impress people all over the country, doing community service, all sorts of things,” Ross clarifies, counting off the things with his fingers. “You’ll also have time with the $!{royal_title}, and ${royal_his_her_their} family to impress and gain favor with them as well.”

        Ryr smirked a bit. “That’s all probably just the first week. Who knows what they’ll come up with, but the competition is really going to test your skills, that’s for sure.”
        *page_break
        *goto guardquestions

    #“Who else will I be competing with?”
        “A variety of people of all genders, backgrounds and personalities,” Ross answers. “You’ll meet each other in a few weeks.”

        “Some are…” Ryr pauses, as if trying to think of the correct word. “Common, like you. Just everyday people. Some are accustomed to a higher maintenance lifestyle.” 

        “You’ll also be competing with the public. Impressing the Royal Family is one thing, but impressing the public is another,” Ross adds. 

        Ryr grins and crosses his arms. “No need to impress us though, $!{player_first_name}. We already like you. The last person we told about all this fainted and it took hours for them to come to. You’re already awesome compared to them!”
        *page_break
        *goto guardquestions

    #“What if I don’t fall in love with the $!{royal_title} or win?”
        Ross purses his lips and ponders that for a moment. “Hm, good question. If you don’t win, well, unless you find another reason to stay in Dia, you’ll be able to come back here and resume your life,” he says finally.

        “As for not falling in love with the $!{royal_title}, well, you guys are a 99 percent match, not 100,” Ryr adds. “You guys are going to be together for quite a long time, but there’s loads of people in court.”

        Ross grins. “Something tells me you’ll get pretty far in the competition though.”
        *page_break
        *goto guardquestions

    #Done asking questions. 
        *goto_scene chapter2_guardsgoodbye